The War
by Talon88.1
Summary: Last Dragon. Chozo Hatchling. A hatred that spans the years, the galaxy, and the battles. Formed by tragedy, fueled by anger, cemented by action, it must be put aside if anything that they care for is to survive the coming war. Let a new chapter begin...
1. Chapter 1

Alrighty everyone, I redid a bit of this, as it needed to be edited and fixed in a number of spots, and I removed some dialogue, added in some new things, etc etc. Anyway, hope you all enjoy, and hopefully soon I will fix chapter 2, and get chapter 7 up as well.

That said:

Lets Roll.

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The War

By Matthew

The solid blue planet drifted through space like a graceful jewel, its sapphire radiance emanating from the bright blueish-white, pulsating element known to the universe as Phazon. What life existed there was strong, deadly, and completely insane.

Save one.

The race that had lived, evolved, and grown powerful in the Phazon rich environment had been around as long as the Chozo, the Luminoth, and the Dragons, eclipsed though they were by the Phazon and its mutating properties, still they thrived. The harsh world had done its best to snuff them out early, but they fought and bled and died and grew again and again, always fighting to survive.

The chamber in which the leaders gathered was vast, illuminated by the light given off by both the living and inanimate, the blackness of space exposed to the gathered, a thin, but surprisingly strong plate the only thing separating them from the deadly vacuum. Only the smooth motion of each of the Six disturbed the peace that pervaded the room. _"Phazze has been destroyed." _Praxxis began, his seven foot frame towering. Long, tall, and strong, he sat regally on the energy chair that he commanded into shape with nary a flicker of his mind. His pure white, vertically slit eyes narrowed as he watched the others seat themselves, taking the news in stride.

_"Did you bring us here only to tell us what we already know, Praxxis?" _Ixxion spoke up, sarcasm apparent in his tone, even with the bubbling of Phazon in the background and his body.

_"Silence yourself Ixxion," _Nara said, the deep octaves of his voice rumbling through the stone and energy around him. _"None of the Council would call a Gathering without important information to discuss. You know this, so put aside you silly maneuvering and listen." _

A ripple of laughter at Ixxion's expense went about the room, the others not really caring that a _Ve'Dra _had been put down by a _Shinia_, but Ixxion had never been the popular one.

_"Enough." _a low, deadly voice worked its way across the chamber, echoing many times until at last it vanished in the air, but the being that spoke was no where near that easy to dismiss. Almost fifteen feet tall, the Phazon literally was his blood, flowing swift and sure through what might have been veins in a human, the power that lay beneath its skin readily apparent to those who looked. _"Phazze has been destroyed, as we all knew the moment that it happened. However, what none but Praxxis and myself know is who did it, and why." _

Like the rest of his species, the Warlord had three vertical set eyes, arms long enough to reach their knees, which ended in three clawed fingers, a thumb on each, no mouth to show. The only major difference was of course, the height and strength that bulged in his body. _"My brothers," _The Warlord began _"Phazze was our only other world, one in which the Phazon was rich and strong, more then enough for us to begin our expansion. But these intruders, these...Space Pirates, that came and took our lifeblood, slaughtered our people, _must _be punished." _

Here he stopped, the pacing that had started mid-way through his speech halting. _"The one's who defeated the Pirates are known as the Galactic Federation, an organization of apparently multiple species, led by a single race known as Humans. This act might have garnered our thanks, but then they themselves took the Phazon for their own, and corrupted it with their pathetic technology. Now we stand on the edge of a new beginning, one where we shall reclaim the galaxy that the cursed Chozo, the arrogant Luminoth, and the thrice-dammed Dragons stole from us almost three millennia ago..._

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Samus gazed out across the sun dappled plains that stretched endlessly before her, the towering spires, the churning smoke, and the faint rumble as the ground shifted far, far below, a testament that Metroid Prime was at last, dead. Looking back on her fallen friends, another set of faces that would be locked in her mind till her time came, Samus stood and walked slowly back to her ship, a grunt escaping her as she was lifted into the ship, her wounds tugging at her body.

The auto-pilot quickly plotted a course for the Fed's flagship, the _Driven. _The liftoff was an easy affair, the engines rapidly gaining altitude, bursting from the atmosphere like a newborn child eager to breath. The stars glimmered in the clear view, the harshness of space kept at bay by the three inches of duraplast plating that coated the ship.

As the hyperspace window opened before her, Samus lay back, letting her Vira Suit dissipate into its storage, letting her shoulder length golden blond hair swing free from its constricting pony-tail. _Well, now what? _She thought, the events that had transpired having long worn her down. With a frustrated sigh, she brought her chair forward to the console and began plotting her return course home.

"Hyperspace course entered, executing orbital burn disengagement. T-minus five minutes till vector achieved."ADAM's computerized voice filtered through the speakers. "Samus, you should rest." He chided, his slight reprimand softened by the almost painful tone that carried in his words. The dull lights of her ship flickered as he lowered their ambiance, a low swish catching her attention as the door to her room slid open. "Everything's taken care of, the mission is done. _Sleep_."

It was a testament to just how bone tired, just how _beaten _that she was that there was no snappy comeback, not a single iota of annoyance in her "Good night then."

She was asleep a moment after her head hit the pillow, only the quiet hum of the engines, and the faint tick of Adam working to disturb the quiet.

Five minutes later, they both entered hyperspace, carrying on as only they could.

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With a snort that cleared the dust from his snout, Ridley reached for his chest, unbuckling the extra armor that he had worn into battle against Samus. _"Damn bitch." _He thought savagely, white hot flames leaking from between his teeth. Shaking his head, the twin foot long horns that swept back from his face scraped along his neck. With a grunt his jet black body rose from the ground, dust and stone rolling off his scaled hide.

His seven foot frame stood atop his powerful hind legs, and with a hiss he straightened his back, the fifteen foot wings draping across his back like a large cloak. The seven foot tail that ended in a spade like blade scraped across the rough stone like a knife, scratching a thin line in the thick earth. His golden pupils scanned the room where his one-shot teleportation module had taken him.

There was a moment of silence as he struggled to recall his mental map before sighing as he gave up, the rattling of his skull from taking one too many Supermissiles to the face leaving him rather out of it.

He called up his holo map of the Space Pirate holdings, the few that remained anyway, looking for a ship that he could leave this world in. Sure, he could survive space with no trouble, but if he wanted to be anywhere within the next hundred years, he needed to enter hyperspace.

With a few stumbles, Ridley slowly walked on all fours to the remains of the hanger bay. The soft clicking of his razor-sharp claws that adorned each of his three nimble fingers and thumb carved lines on the solid steel plating, a testament to the amount of power that lay beneath the black scales. His search was soon rewarded, a TY-775 troop carrier lay hidden under a few tons of rubble, spared only by sheer luck, as a number of crossbeams had fallen so that they had absorbed the hit. With some effort, Ridley peeled away the rubble, exposing the ship.

_Alright,_ he thought, _This thing uses a Kinterit Mark 3 engine, and no Phazon enchantment what-so-ever. That's good, very good indeed. Any Phazon and this thing would be nothing more then scrap. Damn damn damn! Samus....It all comes back to Samus. One of these days...._

Ridley hated Samus, hated her with a passion that was rivaled only by her own for him. But underneath that hate, he respected her all the more, for she was the one thing that was never dull in his life anymore. After almost three hundred years, he had grown bored enough to become the enforcer of the Mother Brain, the same routine, search and destroy, intimidate and kill, same old same old, even going so far as too let High Command place him on guard duty!

Until the Hunter came.

After her arrival, Ridley had but one thing on his mind, one goal:

Become strong enough to kill Samus Aran.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jacob Ramsey was bored. The tiny satellite station _Exodus _floated around Meran in a long, slow orbit, making the time spent on it one that lacked any sort of entertainment. Monitoring the growth rates of the various plant life that they had gathered on Meran earlier that morning might have interested the botanists on board, but not a twenty-three year old man who had signed up for walking on alien worlds, fighting the vile space pirates, meeting Samus Aran in person, you know, the usual for any male that craves experience in the twenty-sixth century.

His hands clasped behind his black haired head and his booted feet crossed over the console, he was the picture of a uninterested young man. A minute beeping woke him from his partial slumber, the ease at which it did nothing more then a flicker in his mind as he scanned the various displays that lay before him, all but three now reading normal.

The long-range sensors, the proximity sensors, and the internal cam's all registered changes in the norm. First Jacob hit the record button, as was dictated by reg's before looking over the scan's records. The internal cam's got his attention first, what with the large blue shapes that whisked by. Fear shot through him as he witnessed the first act of war that the rest of the galaxy was as yet of unaware.

A small group of botanists, so excited over the find that they never even noticed the dozen seven-foot aliens that stared at them, waiting for them to get closer. When the distance had closed to withing five feet, the aliens moved. One stepped forward, reaching out its long arms, the claws on the tips gleaming under the armored fingers, the light gleaming off bracers, chest-plate, helm, shoulder's, greaves, boots, all which were a shiny grey metal, engraved with runes that held no meaning to his eyes. The one that grabbed two of the botanists held a symbol on its right shoulder, a white circle with a single diagonal red slash through its middle.

This was the one that, with what looked effortless, lifted two of the men level with its three eyes, and seemed to study them for a moment, before snapping both their necks with little struggle. Throwing aside the limp bodes, the leader watched as the last man raced away, the plant forgotten and broken on the floor. Coking its head to the side, it raised its right arm, what was apparently a weapon gripped firmly in its three-fingered hand.

The barrel hummed for a second, then a glowing blueish-white disk of energy shot from the end and tore through the poor man, his back burnt and blackened from the hit, the front charred as the disk blew out his chest, blood splattering across the walls. With a thud his body crashed to the floor, a pool of blood spreading out as his heart pumped his life away.

With nary a glance at his corpse the soldiers marched past the torn body, splitting into two groups as they reached the intersection, half heading for the reactor core, and the rest heading for the control room. _"Right here, right to me." _A smirk lit up his slightly chubby features as he watched person after person be slaughtered, even when the soldiers pulse rifles managed to kill several of the enemy, knowing from the few remaining cameras that almost a thousand ships were outside.

Graceful and gleaming with that same grey metal, soaring through space like an eagle flew through the air, many had already passed by on their way to their destination. The smallest ones darted about, looking like manta rays with the swept-out front and the long tail that trailed behind, the groups of four never breaking from the pattern, almost as though they were one being. The next largest looked nothing so much as a squid, a bulbous head followed by four tentacles, the Ray-fighters flying in and out of the limbs.

Others had a distinctly supply ship look, far in the back, swollen and slow as they followed the other, faster cruisers. Guarding them were what looked like elongated ovals, pin-pricks and other tiny features in lines and patterns dotting the surface of each. As they came closer, he saw that each was again half the size of the supply ships, but the pins and lines had formed into weapons and pods of some kind, and three massive engines propelled the ships through space.

Behind all of them however, came something that dwarfed even the cruisers. Five ships emerged from the hyperspace window, the swirling vortex of blue, red, green and white hiding the colors, but as the whirlpool faded into nothing, the sunlight glinted off the same grey metal as the rest. All five where sleek and sharp, hanger bays and weapons shining in the cold light of space. Shaped like an elongated arrow-head, the ships slowly lumbered their way in-system, casting a shadow over the others.

All others formed up around the super-ships, an armada that would frighten even the likes of the Federation and Pirates. The sudden noise behind him brought Jacob back to his senses like only the pounding of blood-thirsty aliens on the dura-steel plating can. Looking down at the pistol still holstered at his right side, Jacob glanced at the monitors, still recording everything.

The squad outside had stopped pounding, and where now setting up some sort of machine, no doubt needed to blow the doors down. The others had gotten into the reactor room, and were currently pulling apart everything in sight, looking for what, he didn't know.

"_The reactors shields are keeping them back for a time, but not long, not at all. What can I do?" _For only a few seconds Jacob hesitated, but once again that smirk came over him, and with a twist he was facing the console once more. The rapid fire typing of keys filled the room as he frantically compressed the duty logs, the video and audio recoding's, the coordinates and time of the aliens arrival, approximate force and troop strength, and with a final stroke, sent the entire package flashing through the void of space, past the aliens cumbersome and hole-filled attempt at a jamming field.

His final duty done, Jacob removed the clip, checking the round before slapping it back into place. The sizzling of the tool that they used was suddenly loud in his ears as he watched it continue its's steady burn, almost all the way done. His eyes following the spark, an idea struck him as he let his mind wander. _"Hell, if their so interested in the damn reactor, I'll give 'um a close-up look."_ One last key stroke entered in his pass-code, and a mixture of hydrogen-nitroglycerin shot into the core, rapidly turning the former yellow rods a bright vibrant red.

The look on their faces was priceless, to him anyway, as they scattered for the exits, desperate to get away from the coming explosion. A computerized voice came from the speakers, the countdown eagerly approaching zero. At his back, the clang of the metal hitting th floor turned him around, and he faced down eight alien warriors, and their eyes reflected their curiosity at what he would do.

Up came his hand, the middle finger raised, and right before the flames flashed up the hallway, and the metal buckled before the titanic pressure, he simply smiled one last time.

The station exploded into a bright burst, the flames consuming the fuel and burning out in moments, but the pieces of shrapnel careened out, now cursed to forever wander the vastness of space, until a time when something pulled them to a doom unknown. The rest of the fleet was still for a moment, possibly contemplating what to do until all at once, they turned as one and entered hyperspace's swirling vortices once more. With a silent bang, the ships disappeared into it, leaving behind only a few fragments of the former station. The armada raced towards the Sol system, intent on striking a decisive first blow.

It's odd, how the universe can give so much, yet what it gives in return, can be the one thing that makes a persons life whole. That armada would have destroyed the entire planet, slain billions of people, and torn apart the foundation of the Federation. But one person changed all that, one person saved billions of lives, and would never be remembered for it. Strange how the greatest heros, are often the unsung.

----------------------------

The loud beeping of the alarm woke Samus, her blond hair flying around her as she whipped the pistol around, quickly scanning the room before her mind caught up to her body, the fog of her dreams fading before the slowly brightening lights. A soft laugh at her own paranoia escaped her lips as she lay the gun on the desk next to her and stood, the cracks and pops of her body filling her ears as she stretched.

A few moments later she emerged from the shower, refreshed as the hot water soothed away the last vestiges of the nightmare that left her sweating in the dark. The clean blue jumpsuit felt good against her flushed skin, and the rhythmic beeping of her console foretold a message. Settling down she activated the comm, letting a small holo appear in the air. Even tinged blue, the face of Admiral Valan was unmistakable, his stern face weathered and cracked from years of combat across the many worlds of the Federation.

One of the few people who knew what Samus looked like under the armor, Samus regarded him as one of her few friends, even after twenty years. After the battle with the Space Pirates, Samus had hoped for a bit of R&R, but from the looks of it, that wasn't gonna happen.

"Samus," Valan began, his gravely tones carrying across even the static of the transmission. "First of all, I have to say that I am sorry about the other hunters. I..I know how close you were to them all, and I assure you, they will be given an honorable burial."

"Thank you Val." Samus replied, her softer tones still holding up the 'tough girl' act that she so easily portrayed. "But I know you didn't call me just to say thanks. What's going on?"

Aboard the flagship _Hellion, _Valan studied Samus's face, noticing right away the dark circles under her sapphire blue eyes, the way that her right hand kept clenching and unclenching.

_She's worn thin, very thin indeed. _Tearing his eyes away from her, he regarded the still footage that he had gotten from the communication's team only five minutes ago. _Can we really ask her this now? She need's a break, a long one. _

It was a quick choice. "Your right Samus, I didn't call you just to give my condolences." Here a smirk broke out on his craggy face. "I know that you probably need a little vacation, so I set up a standing reservation on a nice little place called U-Topia. You might have heard of it?"

_U-Topia? That's..._Already shaking her head, Samus rebuffed his attempts to help. "No thanks Val, you know I don't do that pampering and waited on hand-and-foot deal." _That place is nice enough, but the staff there is just too fake for my tastes. Though it was nice of him to offer. _"I just want to get on with the next job, so if I could get that?"

"That's just the thing Samus, there isn't anything that needs to get done right now. So take the vacation." He spoke again before she could ask, his tone holding no room for argument. "Samus, really, there is nothing for you to do at the moment, so take a rest while you can." Leaning forward to impress the importance of his words to her, he said "Samus, you and I both know that your not feeling well right now, and you of all people need a break from the battles. For now, peace is here, so take everything it can give you, so your ready for when your needed again. Get the reservation, get a tan, and for Gods sake, _get laid_."

With that, he cut the connection and leaned back, staring out into space, his short greying hair not moving in the soft breeze that went throughout the ship, even though a large smile was stretching from ear to ear. . _The look on her face was priceless! She's gonna murder me on the spot when next we meet, but it was worth it!_

Several thousand light-years away, Samus sat unblinkingly into the space where the holo had been, the vast numbers of how to dismember, mutilate, maim, and otherwise harm without killing techniques ran through her mind. A growl wretched itself from her as she thought of what Val had said. _Take a Vacation? Im Samus Aran, the best bounty Hunter in the Galaxy! I cant take a vacation._ Her decision reached, she set corse for the checkpoint that the Sixth Fleet would arrive at soon. After the autopilot came online, the log book beeped, an update to a older file having just arrived.

It was from the Guild, the organization that was founded after several years after Samus made a name for herself. The E-mail opened without her prompting, a sign of a high-priority message. From within it, Val's voice emerged. "_P.S.: Just in case you were thinking of taking up any minor assignments, I _suggested_ to the Guild that you should be removed from consideration for a few weeks. Have a good time!"_ End of Message. Would you like to Reply?"

After a moment, Samus smirked and said "Yes I would. Beginning Record: Val, you win. I'll take the damn trip, but mind you," Here her voice dropped the sarcastic tone, and became the cold, focused voice of the legendary Hunter. "You're a dead man." Once more taking the cheerful tone, she finished. "Other then that, try no to destroy the universe while I'm gone, and have a nice remaining few weeks!"

Smirking as she thought of Val's paling expression at her threat, Samus lay back, her unbound hair spilling over the seats edge as the ship banked away, heading for the small planet U-Topia.


	3. Chapter 3

I redid this chapter, as i really didnt like it, but i just couldnt think of anything better. but i went over it again and again, and finally, i think this is better. anyway, R&R!!

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Chapter Three

Admiral Valan hated that damn chair. It was a simple steel piece, no padding, a tiny back, and forced you to look straight at the Military Board. Said board was comprised of three Judges, two of which were from a younger generation, neither more then thirty at the most. With a brief shuffling of papers and clearing of throats, the central man, a robust fifty-year old, a well groomed fellow by the name of Shadwell, began the investigation.

"Admiral Robert Valan, Commander of the 1st Naval Regiment, awarded the Medal of Honor for Bravery, and.."

"Can we please skip all that?" Valan interrupted, more then annoyed by the use of formal protocols in a mere inquiry. _I've got a hundred better things that I could be doing right now, and they decide to question my decision to get Samus involved at the time? Idiots!_ Reining in his emotions, he schooled his face into a blank mask.

With a sigh Shadwell began. "Very well Admiral. On June thirteenth, of the year 2188, at Five-fifteen Galactic time, you contacted Samus Aran, correct?"

"Yes." He carefully replied.

"And is it also true that at that time, you had already seen and reviewed the logs sent to us by the _Exodus_ detailing the attack by the unnamed force?"

Still as stone he said: "Yes."

Glancing over to him, Shadwell spoke rapidly, eager to put this unpleasant business behind them all and go home. "And even with the knowledge that they could very well become a threat to the Federation, still you sent Samus away, without any idea of what had happened, and knowing full well that she would be of great aid to us."

"Correct."

Now looking directly at Valan, Shadwell leaned back and spoke calmly. "Would you please tell us why you made that choice."

Valan closed his eyes as he gathered his thoughts. When next they opened he glared at Shadwell like a sun had been placed in his sockets. "Sir's. I have know Samus for almost twenty years, seen her complete mission after mission, suffer wounds and see things you and I could not imagine. Just this past month, she lost Ghor, Gandrayda, and Rundas, all corrupted by the very PED technology that we forced upon them, and all eventually _killed _by her hands. Right now she is tired, weak, and grieving, even if she chooses not to acknowledge it at this time."

The Judges glanced at one another, the facts that he presented clear to all. "That still does not give us a valid reason as to why you did not inform her to the present situation."

A pitying glance was all he got. "If she did know about it, there would be no chance in _Hell _of getting her to relax and recuperate. And for your information, it could all be a misunderstanding. Yes, they attacked us, yes, they have made a bee-line for Earth, but there still is the possibility that we can talk to them like any civilized race. And as a Federation, we do have the ability to bring the full military might of a thousand worlds, and over fifty species against the armada."

"So," Shadwell grimly spoke, a laugh now hiding in his tone. "You are giving the greatest Hunter in the galaxy a vacation?"

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth at the thought of _giving _Samus a vacation, _"More like forced her to"_ But they didn't need to know that. "Yes sir." Valan swiftly said.

_**Fifteen minutes later**_

"Very well then Admiral." Shadwell Said, all traces of humor gone. "It is the finding of this court that your decision was within your bounds to make, and that no further action shall be taken against you." All stood and saluted, at Shadwells "Dismissed!" As the others filed out, Shadwell made his way to Valan and clasped his hand in a firm handshake. "God damn it Val! You sure know how to make the Brass throw a fit ya know? Come on, I'm buyin."

Smiling at his old Academy buddy, Valan laughed along with him. "You better be buying, you still owe me one from back on Mars in '76."

"Ah hell, you still remember that?"

"Shad, I don't think anyone who saw you in that pink.."

"Shut up! I'll buy, I'll buy!"

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_Wow, I didn't think that this place could change this much in only five years._ Staring at the hotel that she had been put up in, Samus was in awe at what civilization could transform in such a short span of five years. Where once stood acer's of deep forests, clean blue water, and rolling hills, now stood a sprawling complex of costly entertainment.

Three buildings lay side by side, surrounded by a circle of six smaller, specialized buildings. The two flanking hotels lay a mere forty stories tall, gleaming metal and shining windows all over its surface. The center-most one towered almost a hundred-fifty stories high, dwarfing everything else in sight with its presence.

The circle of buildings that lay around them carried massage parlors, bars, trinket shops, and everything else that a thriving hotel needed to bring in even more income. The braking thrusters firing awoke her from the daze that had overcome her mind. The cackle of static overcame the holo as the female image of the space-ports AI came online. "Hunter-Class Gunship _K-2L_, This is Space-port AI Cassie requesting clearance for landing. Please transmit coordinents for landing vector."

"Affirmative." She said as the ship slowly banked into a gentle curve, heading for one of a dozen landing pads. The ships powerful engines roared across the fields as she guided it into a feather soft landing. "Touchdown in three...two...one. Landing complete." With a soft hiss of cooling engines and landing gear locking into place, Samus began locking down her ship. "ADAM. Begin lockdown procedure, voice, retinal, DNA, and fingerprints scans required for entry. Vira suit on standby, and.."

"Samus." ADAM's monotone came over the speakers, concern somehow carrying across his computerized tones. "I believe that Admiral Valan told you to take a vacation. I will take all necessary precautions in case of attack, kidnapping, etc etc. Now go and relax." Falling silent, he refused to speak or reply to her orders.

After five minutes of alternating between pleas, cajoling, and threats of dismantlement, Samus whirled around and grabbed her duffel bag, but stopped to clip onto her left wrist a pale silver bracelet, swirls of gold ingrained in its strong metal. On top of it, inlaid and covered by intricate gold designs lay two green stones, the control through which her suit came and went to her aid. "ADAM, be sure to set the nano's to maintain the armor and ship alright?"

"Yes Samus." He dutifully replied as she slowly backed out, her duffle bag slung over one deep green t-shirt, the long jeans whispering alongside her silent steps.

"And don't forget about the accounts."

"Yes Samus."

"And the..."

The door hissed shut in her face, and what could almost be called a relived sigh could be heard from within as it's lines were sealed by the security.

"Jerk." Swiftly walking down the gangway with her head held high, Samus headed directly for the hotel check-in. Passing by the other races, from the normal humans of various ages, races, and creeds, to the exotic ones. The amorphous forms of the watery Seeqa, whose ever-changeable body structure allowed them to fit into the tightest of spaces, or swim through water with breathtaking speed.

With a screech, a large member of the reptilian race know commonly as Draco's flew high overhead, called such because the races true name contained thirty-six syllables, thus rendering it unpronounceable by most other tongues. Its outstretched wings matching the coloration of the rest of its body, the tinted green with purple striped running vertically across its span. _"Oh, great. I get to spend my vacation with a whole bunch of mini Ridleys runnin 'round. Wonderful." _Shaking her head as the doors swished open and the cool air rushed out, making her notice the light perspiration that had broken out from the tropical heat.

The desk manager only noticed her when she started rapping her knuckles on the polished wooden top. With the cool composure of one who has done it many times, the man spun around with a bright smile and promptly asked for her name. "Silvia Ara's." She easily replied, knowing that even the bare mention of her true name would most likely send several of the residents running for the space-lanes, certain that they were her target.

Scooping up the card and waving off the bus-boy she entered the elevator, crammed in with all manner of people, all sharing the same goal: getting that _one _thing that they forgot after heading out for the day. Soft music came from the speakers as quiet conversation came from two people in the back, the others off in their own little dream-world, normalcy in all its glory.

...Samus had never felt more awkward.

The ding of the doors opening was at that moment, the most welcome sound in the whole universe to her ears. Out before the doors fully opened and down the hall as the others had taken three steps, Samus fairly flew into her suite, locking the door as her bag sailed through the air to land squarely on the bed. With a military precision honed after almost forty years of combat, she began checking the room's every nook and cranny before stopping in exasperation.

"_I'm supposed to be on vacation! A little R&R for a week, and here I am acting like I'm still in the field." _Laying down on the large bed, she stared at the ceiling, her thoughts having finally ground to a halt. _"Now what? What do people DO on vacation? A massage? Nah, not quite ready for that yet. Get drunk? Cant, Chozo blood cuts down human level toxins like their nothing. Hmmmm...Beach?" _A smile spread across her face, revealing white, even teeth, even though she had slightly longer canines then normal. "Beach."

Quickly changing a one-piece, over which went shorts and a t-shirt, she grabbed a towel and looked out the window for the beach. _"Oh great." _Hundreds of people covered the sparkling sand, young men showing off for the ladies, young women in outfits that were more string then cloth, and older people who should have left more clothes on. _"No way in Grey am I going down there. But maybe there's another spot." _Without a second thought she tore down the stairs, not wanting a repeat of the elevator ride.

In the lobby and out the door before the rest had even realized she was there, she ran for the forest, easily outpacing the joggers, and the moment she was deep enough that the tree's would hide her, she leapt. Up, up, up, higher into the canopy she climbed, not touching the branches even once as they flew by her. Planting her feet on a thin limb she pushed off again, away from the hotel this time, clearing almost fifty feet with one leap. Overhead passengers and other sightseer's flew by, never noticing the small figure that bounded through the trees and vines of the tropical jungle like the Chozo which had raised her. She covered three miles in under an hour, leaping from tree to tree, sliding across branches, even swinging from a few vines, and only coming close to hitting a tree once.

Laughing as she landed at a quiet, deserted sand-bar, far away from the crowds and the noise and the fake people, Samus felt herself relax for the first time. The sound of the waves gently lapping against the sand, the breeze carrying the scents of salt, seaweed. It was quiet, devoid of the sounds of civilization, leaving nothing but the ocean and the wind to fill it. Falling outstretched onto her back into the sand, she breathed deeply, letting the peace wash over her.

"_Ok, maybe I wont kill Val when I get back. This is kida nice." _Without preamble she shucked off the short and T, wading into the water, feeling the liquid wash away what sweat had come across her. Diving down into the warm water, her lungs and heart slowing far below most humans limits, she dove deeper and deeper, reaching the bottom easily, gliding along just above the sea-bed, the clear water easily penetrated, showcasing the wonders of the watery world.

The seabed was a riot of color and life, coral and stone of all colors, allowing for a diversity of skins like nothing seen on Earth. Animals swam though it, a garden of life, from twisting worms thirty feet long, but only an inch wide that ate from the vents, to what could be called sharks, only smaller, most barely reaching three feet. Floating just above the floor Samus stared up to the surface, the sun flickering through the water, lighting up the entire ocean for as far as she could see. _"Yeah, this might be just what I needed." _

Smirking, she began swimming back for the surface. _"Of course, Val will never know that." _Emerging from the water, her lungs having just begun to complain, she swam for the shore, noticing that it was farther then she had remembered it being. But her speed was such that she covered the distance in little time, and at last she stood up in the surf, the sun already beginning to dry her out. Once more spreading herself out on the sand, only one thought crossed her mind before sleep claimed her: _"This is the best day ever." _

----------------------

"_This is the worst day ever." _With steam shooting from the ships pipes, the yellow and red klaxons blaring, and the terrified screaming of the lower ranks as Ridleys flagship the _Last Bastion, _was bombarded by blue-white blasts from the unknown attackers. "Damn it, why aren't we returning fire?!" He roared, hanging on as the entire ship leaned to the side as a blast tore into the hull.

"Their opening volley cut the weapons control systems sir!" Yelled back the weapons officer, followed closely by "Life support as well sir!" and "Engines are down!" and finally "Sir, hanger bay door's are unresponsive!"

"Dark and Dammed, is there anything we still have?!" Ridley screamed, as the view screens showed the silver gleam as the alien ships flashed by, the fighter pickets blasting away at one another as the capital ships jockeyed for position. It was only bad luck that _Bastion _had been in the opening strikes, and now it was paying the price. "Sir," A smaller techie spoke up, "We still have control of the food dispensers."

All eyes turned to the small Pirate, and he nervously clacked his claws together, realizing that most people would have left out useless information like that.

Ridleys golden eyes focused on the tiny creature, narrowing as he considered what to do. "Thank you Private, I'm sure that when we are boarded, we can launch a counter-attack with the left-overs! Get out of here and do something useful!" The Private scurried off, more then willing to put as much distance as possible between himself and the Dragon. "Weapons, Engines, and Life support, I want a status check on the double, repair crews are to follow you orders at the moment they are given, understood? Com! Get me on FleetCom One, ASAP!"

"Sir!" They said, jumping to the tasks assigned to them.

"Maps, pull up the current battle topography." A boom resounded through the ship, much closer then the last one, rocking the entire ship the left, flinging several of the staff to the right, and forcing Ridley to dig his claws into the durasteel frame. "Now maps!" He roared.

"Coming up now sir!" and in an instant a three-dimensional holo appeared before him, the red arrows enemy craft, green Pirate. The red far outnumbered the green, and had the upper side of space above the Pirate fleet, leaving the Pirates square in the gravity well, like fighting with a wall to your back, but cutting off any escape attempts. _"Damn it. As long as we're in the gravity well, we cant get enough speed to attain Rift! What to do, what to do!" _Sudden as a bolt from the skies, it hit him. "That's it!" He crowed, turning to the staff. "Com, is that patch ready yet?"

"Aye Sir, line ready!"

"Battle Group _Titan_, This is General Ridley. I want the all Cruisers and Destroyers to enter into a blanket formation from coordinates twenty-forty-five to sixty-seven, providing cover for the Frigates and Carrier's as they begin a slingshot orbital escape." The red lines of energy blasted out from the three-pronged Destroyers, balls of plasma from the Cruisers, missiles and rays slamming into the attackers, fireballs lighting up space as each one exploded against shields and hulls.

"Status!"

"Sir, Weapons still need another two minutes!"

"Shields online sir!"

"Hanger bays almost there sir!"

"Engines are hot and primed sir!"

Looking back at the Holo, Ridley studied it, even as the shields flashed with every hit and the engines rumbled back to life. In a second he highlighted a destroyer near the battles edge, speaking over the com "_Falters Not_, I want you to lead the convoy and provide covering fire while they attain Rift velocity. All other ships, continue with the blanket, targeting any enemy craft that approach." Cutting the connection, Ridley barked out "Status!"

"Hanger's have opened and fighters are deploying and awaiting orders sir!"

"Tell Flights One through Five to assist the blanket, the remainder are to break by squads and screen the enemy fighters. Weapons, Status!"

"We have ten seconds to Plasma cannons, but missiles are down, guidance chips fried by some sort of EMP mine!"

"Damn, can we still fire by LOS?"

"Aye sir!"

Quickly running the numbers, Ridley typed in a series of commands to the missile crews, priming them for the launch. "Helm, bring us about to seven-seven-nine-two-four, with a two second declination of point-zero-three-one. As soon as LOS is engaged, launch everything we have."

"Aye sir, seven-seven-nine-two-four, with a two second declination of point-zero-three-one, engaged Line-Of-Sight. Time to vector twelve seconds."

As the _Bastion _turned to the target coordinates, facing directly at the enemy fleet, out in space, Pirate single-ships fought and died, trying to buy as much time for their fellows to escape. Destroyers and cruisers moved before frigate's and carriers, taking the fire meant for them, giving the vastly more populated ships a chance to slingshot around and achieve exit speed.

A thin blanket of defense was established, the destroyers and cruisers forming up to provide a tiny blanket of protection for the escaping ships, which were picking up more ships from the planet itself, all carrying families and friends, trying desperately to escape the coming fire. In a second the attackers saw the plan, and began focusing everything on the barrier ships, which were soon aflame, venting air and gas, bodies and equipment, but returning fire all the same.

The destroyer _Falters Not_ raced at the head of the convoy line, protecting the fleeing ships on the last leg of the journey, Captain Uzze'e watched as the other three destroyers in the guard detail split off, ready to delay any pursuers. "Helm, time to the exit vector?"

"Sir, two minute's to vector, and thirty seconds till we enter the planets shadow."

Hands clasped behind his back, Uzze'e stared determinedly out the viewport, looking for any sign of opposition. _"The last steps are often the most deadly." _He thought, knowing that when your closest to safety, your guard is the lowest. Therefore he would double his. "Sensors, continue active sweeping with both radar and EMC. Guns, Status?"

"Plasma charged and ready sir, missiles primed and awaiting courses."

"Excellent."

"Aye sir, we're ready for anything."

As _Falters_ edged into Merran's shadow, the entire bridge crew held its breath in anticipation, waiting for something to happen. For a long moment they waited, and almost as one they breathed a huge sigh of relief. Of course an instant later the sensors blared a warning, all manner of alarms going off, from radar to proximity, they warned of an enemy.

A Super-carrier was waiting in the planets shadow. It dwarfed _Falters, _even the next seven ships in the line behind it. The glow of powering weapons could be seen, one, two, three, a dozen, a hundred, too many to be counted, all bearing down on the little ship.

"Except that." Uzze'e said. Fear and excitement shot through the bridge, the Super's weapons already beginning to fire.

"Brace for impact!" Uzze'e shouted into the com, only a few seconds before the almost solid wall of deadly energy rained down on the destroyer. Shutting his own red eyes, Uzze'e said a final prayer, asking that he meet his end swiftly.

The energy rain never struck _Falters. _When no sudden impacts or fiery pain immolated him, Uzze'e cracked open his eyes to see a wondrous sight.

Over the Com came a voice that all within the pirate legions respected, even if they had never before met. **"**_**Falters,**_** This is the **_**Bastion,**_** continue with the evac, we'll handle this bitch."** With that, _Bastion_ slid into view, obscuring the ports as it fell into place over the exit vector, its bulk allowing the others to escape beneath it. The thundering response of its cannons firing at last onto the Super was a welcome change from the sizzling of the attackers weapons.

Multiple portals opened as the runners escaped into the safety of the Rift, more and more opening and closing with every second. Monitoring the Super before him, Ridley watched as she began to dive. "Weapons! Bring the topside cannons to one-five-nine, and hullside to zero-zero-one-point-one, overload charge."

Mouths gaping as they regarded him, the crew was needless to say, startled. "But, sir.. That would..."

"I know what it does Weapons! Just do it!"

"Aye sir. Topside cannons to one-five-nine, and hullside to zero-zero-one-point-one, overload charge."

With only a moments notice the shields of both ships continued to flash as the cannons of both pounded away, the _Bastion _shaking with every hit, rumbles sounding throughout the superstructure. The Super dropped below the _Bastion, _but as the Super did, she turned on her side, placing the full complement of the topside guns square on the Super. Her broadside and topside cannons began tearing into the Super, missiles chipping away, leaving coattail's of vapor as they raced through space.

Then the Super's hanger bays opened, and streams of Manta fighters poured out, making a bee-line for _Bastion. _"What's our status on point defense?" Ridley shouted, hoping that the forty sixty-millimeter guns would be enough to hold off the fighters.

"Sir, PD is online and acquiring targets."

"Good. Maps, status of the evac's?"

A loud bang resounded across the bridge, causing all to grip the consoles tighter, and Maps to shout out: "Sir, three minutes till last ships attain Rift, a few stayed behind to get the last refugees."

"Continue station holding, and return fire, we stay until the last escape." The sparks flying by and bouncing off his black scales, Ridley stood still as stone, watching the tiny blips of the last five evac's racing for the shadow, and only a handful of the defending ships trailing behind. _"So, this is what we have become. Refugees, fleeing before the Federation and these new bastards. Why did they come here? Are they new allies of the Fed's? Old enemies of the ancestors? Damn and Dark, it does not matter now! We have to escape, rebuild, and take this place back!" _

"Sir, topside shields are failing!"

"Begin roll, and keep hullside cannons on station, overload blasts on hold until missiles impact on their shields."

"Sir! Another fifteen capital ships are coming over the northern hemisphere! ETA two minutes!"

"WHAT!? Why didn't we pick them up?"

"There's a radiation flux over the poles sir! It was shielding them until now."

Over the poles came a mixed group of the mid-sized enemy ships, soaring like a flight of birds, eager to alight on the weak flesh of their prey. "Damn it, their going to have a full minute of open fire on us."

It only took a thirty count before the leading ships began bombarding the _Bastion. _In seconds the shields power dropped drastically, blue-white blasts cutting into the armor, severing system's and collapsing compartments. Doors sealed automatically, preventing air from escaping and pirates from being sucked away.

Onboard the _Bastion, _Ridley was trying not to breathe, the air so filled with smoke that even his space-faring lungs were hurting. Sparks shot out from many torn wires, blood spattered the viewports, and dead Pirates lay across the consoles that they had dutifully died at. Glaring at the Super before him, Ridley knew that this was not a battle they would win. "Com," He shouted over the noise, "Get me in touch with _Falters!" _

Nodding, the Com officer patched in the line and nodded to Ridley. "_Falters, _Do you read me? This is _Bastion_, come in!"

"**We read you sir, loud and clear."** The voice came in over the speakers, fear and excitement vying for position in his tones.

"Captain, listen closely. As it stands, this battle is lost. You are to take the remainder of the fleet and retreat to the Alpha site, where you shall affect repairs and regroup. Call in all border and scout parties, and bring in Battle groups _Leviathan_ and _Implacable. _I want our training facilities and shipyards at full swing. And Captain, one last thing. If the Alpha site is compromised, you are to head directly for Federation space, understood?"

"**But sir!" **

"Listen Uzze'e! If the Alpha site is lost, then we only have a few planets left! Lead them to Fed space, draw them away from the populated planets! And if worst comes to worst, and the other planets are in danger, and it looks as though these guys are not allies of the Fed's, forge an alliance with the Feds to gain their aid in fighting these bastards! Now, we have one more minute until the last ships reach Rift, and I have a plan to get us that time. Get yourself out of here Uzze'e, and remember what I said."

With that Ridley broke the link and turned to the Com. "Crew of the _Bastion, _we need another minute of time, and we're not going to get it like this. We are going to overload all cannons and ram the _Bastion _directly into the Super. The ensuing explosion and radiation will either kill them or block the radar enough for the last ones to escape. Now begin abandoning ship."

Hanging up the intercom, Ridley turned to his crew. "Weapons, begin an overload sequencer in all remaining cannons. Shields, divert power to the cannons until overload is attained. Engines, cut coolant to the reactors and push them to the red lines. Once your done, evac."

All eyes turned to him, and the helm officer spoke up, his eyes wide. "Sir, what are you going to do?"

"I'm the only one here who can survive in space, and I can take a hell of a lot more damage then any of you. Therefore, I'm the best one for the job of ramming that ship. Now get going, all of you." Nodding respectfully as they passed by for the escape pods, Ridley began entering coordinates into the Nav computers. _"Allright, the Nav' should deal with the remaining time until impact, but the weapons overload will need more time." _The cameras showed escape pods jetting away form the ship, troop transports and fighters speeding out of the bays, eager to get away.

As soon as the last one had gone, Ridley punched the throttle, the whole ship lurching forward, gaining speed as it raced for the Super. It had begun to shift, trying to escape from the inevitable hit. The Super had left itself open when it had begun its broadside, leaving a huge target for the _Bastion_ to strike.

The _Bastion_ slammed into the Super, the shields breaking like eggshells before the huge mass of both ships. As the nose crunched into the outer hull, Ridley was thrown forward, is claws and talons digging into the steel, stopping him from being torn out as the air rushed into space, clawing his way back to the command chair, the wind whipping all manner of debris by his body, shrapnel bouncing off his strong scales. A scream of tortured metal was al the warning he had before the blast doors came flying at him, torn from their mornings by the rushing winds.

Barley dodging the doors, he continued his climb back to the console, where the overloading cannons awaited firing. At last he reached it, stretching a arm and just brushing the button.

All hell came loose.

Each of the_ Bastions _hundred and seventy cannons seemed to glow a bright red and yellow, before every one of them overloaded and exploded in the space of a heartbeat. The flames reached the missile pods, each one containing twenty HE warheads, and over three hundred of them lined the walls. A ripple cascaded across the outer hull, the metal warping and shifting before the pressure inside its frame. Far below, the reactor's coolant pipes had been shut off for a full minute and the engines in the red lines, leaving them ready to blow.

The two ships had mashed together, the overload melting the outer hull of the Super, the missiles tearing apart the guts of the ship. Blue and black bodies could be seen as the entire Super came apart at the seams, parts of it hanging on by only a few beams. The remaining ships watched as they burned, only moments before the reactor, broken, leaking radiation, and pouring particlesinto the area, went critical.

The _Last Bastion _exploded, taking the Super with it as the two titanic frames fused together from the heat and impact, a shockwave racing out and throwing the others about like reeds before the wind. The last evac ships escaped just before the wave hit, the attackers bearing the full brunt of it. Almost twenty of them were forced into the atmosphere, a burning death all that awaited them. Many trailing thick, black smoke as they plunged to the earth.

But on the other side of the planet, the remaining fleet watched as over sixty Pirate vessels burned in space, a funeral pyre for a way of life...

And far away, the Warlord looked on from his Flagship, _Shin'Tro _and the fleet's of his worlds grew and grew and grew, every conquered world from their galaxy, the full military might of a hundred thousand world's, bearing down on the tiny factions of the Federation and the Pirates. The battle of Marran was just a taste of what was to come...


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the long wait, but its hard to do four stories at once, ok?

-----------------------------

Chapter Four

For three days Samus had been relaxing, mostly at the beach that she had found the first day, but eventually she felt the old desire to experience human culture once again, all leading up to her present situation. 

Standing before the mirror, Samus gazed over her reflection with an inexperienced eye. _"What the hell am I doing? I don't know anything about makeup or dresses! I probably look like a clown!"_ And indeed she did, with the overdone makeup, clearly put on by someone with no use for it, and the closest thing she had to a dress was a...well, nothing really. _"This whole thing is stupid! I don't even really want to go!" _But after only a few moments of this internal ranting, she calmed. _"Grey Voice always told me that I needed to experience all aspects of hu-MY culture, so I know I should go to at least one of these...parties." _

Splashing water to remove the poorly applied make-up, she finally gave in. Taking a deep, deep breath, she pressed the call button, and asked for...the nearest salon. _"I have officially given up all right to be myself tonight." _A few minutes later, a robotic escort arrived at her door, its mechanical voice coming from its two foot rolling torso, atop which sat a bobbing circle that held only a single bright blue eye. 

With a bleep it spun in place and made for the elevator, Samus following behind warily, unaware of her silent steps and ready stance. The small blaster she kept on her right ankle was a unneeded comfort to her, knowing that even without it, she was dangerous. Thankfully the plaza was empty, and she followed the small bot right for one of the larger buildings, a garnish sign of bright orange trimmed with blue, labeled "Tangles!" 

A small chime sounded as she opened the door, the wall of scents filled with soaps and herbs hitting her, the views of curlers, brushes, scissors, sprays and a dozen others things she couldn't name filling the area. Women of all colors scampered about, both patrons and employees, all frantic to get ready for a party that was almost an hour away. _"Why are they this hurried? There's plenty of time." _Light streamed through a series of windows set along the outer three walls, pictures of models posted at various points, and mirrors set before each chair. 

So fast that even Samus had trouble following it, a perky brunette appeared before her with a smile so wide and bright that the suns seemed weak in comparison. "Helloooo! Welcome to Tangles! If you're here for the party tonight hosted by the U-topia Co., you can get our special offer of a full make-over and even your pick of our stock of dresses!" Laughing as she stared at Samus like a Jack Russell terrier on speed, this happily psychotic young girl eagerly awaited her response. 

"_If this girl sprouts a tail, I am SO gone." _Awkwardly smiling in return as she tried desperately to understand just what was going on. "H-hey. I was looking for a little help for the party and-"

"Oh! So you are going to the party! Are you interested in the offer? 'Cause its only five-hundred credits for the full experience." 

"_Only five hundred? Jeez, they certainly enjoy milking the crowd." _Smirking she thought _"Even though I have more money then I know what to do with, that's an exorbitant price. ...But what the Grey, it could be fun." _

_Fifteen Minutes later_

"_Or it could be this." _Head back with her long platinum blond hair spreading in the small basin behind her, Samus stared at the white ceiling as her hands, feet, lips, hair, and various other body parts were painted, clipped, cut, curled, and otherwise subjected to the variety of techniques that had been used to twist and transform her hair and body into a new image. At last they let her be, and ushered her quickly into a room filled with more clothing then Samus had seen in her sixty-three years of life. 

For the next twenty minutes Samus tried on dress after dress, piles of them slowly beginning to accumulate before she was happy with her choice. Encased in the plastic cover, the simple black dress went to just below her knees, and letting just a hint of cleavage show. Briskly walking back to her room via the stairs, Samus couldn't help but stare at her reflection. Her full lips carried a rose-red shade, a layer of gleaming gloss over that. Light eye-liner and a pale shade of dark shadow covered her lids, bringing out the brilliant sapphire of her eyes. _"Well, not like I ever back down from a challenge, and this is definitely going to test my patience." _

As the sun began to set below the sea, its soft light illuminating the sand, tall trees casting long shadows across the smooth pavement. A wafting breeze carried a clean scent of both the sea and fauna. Too her heightened senses however, she also noticed the scents of sun-block, sweat, bad cologne, and strangely, burnt ozone. _"Could be from the ships, maybe a private boat? They use ion drives to move in sub-space, but why would they use them in atmo instead of the landing thrusters?" _

Shaking her head at her thoughts, the lights of the ball-room showing off the massive wooden dome, six arching columns equally spaced around the perimeter, and five large diamond chandeliers hung from silver chain, a dozen white clothe-covered tables that held a multitude of races by their sides. In the far right corner, along the entire wall was the bar, stocked with almost every type of alcohol legally possible, 'tenders passing, mixing and serving the drinks with aplomb. 

A dull roar filled the air as over four hundred people sat in groups or walked about, several couples danced to the band's soft and slow tunes. Samus never noticed, but a number of men cast glances at her, smirks appearing as she crossed into the milling crowd. Passing by dozens of races, Samus was wary, her eyes looking over each and every person that neared her, the exits and escape routes already planned. 

At last reaching the bar, she ordered a small drink, not caring what it was, as her Chozo enhanced immune system would break it down quickly enough. Drink in hand, she wandered the room, flitting from one subject to another, soaking up everything around her, from recent changes in the political arena, to which Holo-star couple was hottest. Slightly smiling as she navigated to an unoccupied table near the far wall, she watched with interest as the others mingled about. 

Several times she spotted a group of men nudging their buddies towards her, apparently trying to get the courage to ask her something. So it was a surprise when a laughing group of three young men gathered around her table, smiling and elbowing one another as they cast stares at everything below the neckline. Calmly she continued sipping her glass, more then willing to let them walk away before something bad happened. 

The de-facto leader, a tall muscular blond, sat down by her side, whiskey on his breath, but doing nothing to detract from the white, even teeth that he flashed her way. "Hey," He said, a slight slur evident "If Im a blond, and you're a blond, and both end in D, what does that make?" 

"Your total GPA from high school?" 

His smile faltering as he tried to understand what that meant, the blond man shrugged it off, not bothering to work it out. "No, it's the size O' your tits! Double D's! I'd like to see um closer, if ya get me." 

"_Ah Ac-tiz! Am I really getting hit on by this loser? Wonderful." _Never even looking at him, Samus simply stood and said coldly "One: Their B's, not D's, dumb-ass, and Two: Not interested." Taking only two steps, she felt a hard grip attach itself to her wrist, and the mans angry face whipped around before hers. 

"Listen bitch I don't" he snarled. 

Her right foot slid forward and her right arm knifed to the outside of his arm, pressing her arm and his own together, slipping hers free in a second, followed by her left fist burying itself in his stomach and pressing up, the fingers dipping behind a rib and pulling slightly. "Do not touch me." she calmly said, her finders pulling a bit more on the lower rib, a clear message that she could easily pull it out of place.(AN 1) "Try that again, and next time I wont be so nice." 

Sweat ran down his neck from the pressure on his rib, his buddies more then willing to act like they had never met the guy, so Samus let him go, watching as he fell back to his seat. Striding away from the table, Samus was aware of the startled looks she received from other patrons, but couldn't care less. _"Spent all that money, got all gussied up, and this is what I get for all my trouble. Screw it, Im leaving."_

No preamble in her stance, Samus left the ball-room quickly, all desire to experience more of human culture gone after that run-in. Passing by others as the "Fashionably Late." crowd arrived, she didn't bother making eye contact as she bulled her way through, uncaring to the angry looks she received. At last entering the nights air, the three moons lighting up the sky like beacons, the soft light defeated by the neon lights and signs that pervaded the city. 

Walking swiftly back to her room, Samus had almost reached the hotel when her com began ringing in her ear, activating it with a tap. 

"Samus," ADAM spoke, his monotone coming clearly over the tiny mike. "Sensors have picked up a object approaching the planet, just passing Dia. Scans cannot penetrate the outer field, but we estimate its size to be around that of a _Galaxy_-class vessel, speed approximately seven-thousand miles per second." 

"Understood. Threat level estimate?" 

"Global. However, the data suggests that this is a manned vessel, as several course corrections have been noted and a short boost was also recorded by the scans. I recommend immediate evac, as Cassie has already alerted the authorities." 

"Cassie? The space-port AI? What are you two doing together?" 

"I was bored simply waiting here for your return, and after three days of running nothing but _system checks_," it almost seemed like ADAM managed to inject pure hate into his tone. "I felt the need to get out, or I was going to activate the self-destruct. So I transmitted a portion of my matrix through the sensor arrays and met Cassie here. After some initial hostility, we became quite cordial to one another." 

"...Ok then. What is the response going to be?" 

"Cassie has set the planets defensive systems on stand-by, and the authorities have been alerted. The cannons will be engaged and locking on target within the next five minutes."

She ran the figures in her head, the time between the outermost moon, Dia, and 'Topia. "But the object will be here within ten, is that enough time for the military to muster a suitable response if this is indeed a vessel?" 

Over the com came what sounded like a scuffle, two bodies pushing one another, then: "Samus Aran, this is AI Cassie speaking. The military Com's are buzzing with chatter between Orbital stations one through thirty, many of them saying it's a pirate attack." Her calm tones were undercut by a tension that Samus had before only heard in either the Fed's super-computer's and ADAM, never a conventional AI. "I know this is rather-" 

A muffled thump sounded high overhead, and high in the sky a bright blue sphere flashed into being, a shockwave that ruffled the treetops following close behind. Suddenly static washed over the com, a loud screech that raked across her eardrums, and with a string of curses in several languages that would have sent a number of species gasping in horror she yanked the earpiece out. "Shon Juh Natoh! Adam, what's happened?"

Only static answered her, the lights, music, buildings, all fell silent. Loud screams came from within, shocked cries as men and women alike where taken from the evening of excitement, into a strange world of the unknown. Then the alarms began, sounds reminiscent of ancient air-raid sirens, sounding the alert of enemy attacks. _"Alert: All off-duty personal are hereby on active alert. Report immediately to your stations for arming and briefing. All civilians are asked to move to the closest shelter, and remain there until escorted out by military personal." _

The next thing that hit her was the sound. The scream of pressurized air echoed from on high, a flaring reddish-orange curtain of fire around the object, whatever it was. Small pieces broke off and vanished, consumed by the hungry flames, but the main part was intact and seemingly headed right at her. "God damn it Adam! Come in! What the hell is happening?" 

But even as she tried to gain an understanding, the entire object began to break apart, chunks flying off at an increasing rate, but these didn't vaporize like the first ones. They shot out and took off, dozens in every direction, several heading right for the hotel. _"Shit, gotta get to the ship!"_ With that thought in mind she took off, racing at top speed, almost thirty miles an hour covering the distance to her ship in record time.

But as she crossed over the last hill to the hotels docking pad, she saw one of the chunks shed the fire, leaving behind only the true form. It was huge, at least a sixty meters long, thirty meters wide, and about ten high. Six sides formed an octagon, lines and criss-crossing glyph's covered its surface. "Shit," was all she had time to say, before six spots of light grew under the hull, and six sizzling lances of blue-white energy flew down through the air, exploding against the many buildings that lay defenseless. 

With nary a thought she mentally reached for the bracelet that hung on her left wrist, expecting the rush of machines that made up the suit to glide soundlessly across her skin, only to watch as tiny static discharges covered it, stinging her skin before she shut it off. _"What the hell? The nanites should be impervious to all EMP attacks, or even more advanced electrical buffers! Could that thing be Chozo!"_

Studying the distant vessel, watching as the beams vaporized dozens of people with every blow,fires eating away the rubble of toppled buildings, hundreds of screams in all manner of voices, telepathic and emotional outpourings of pain as other races lost control of their inherent abilities. Staring at the scene that lay before her, Samus couldn't help but stare at the floating octagon, watching as the weapons pummeled the structures. 

A moment later though, and small objects began dropping from its bottom. A thin shaft of the same blue-white energy haloed around their mid-sections, quickly dropping to the hard earth, but slowing to a gentle stop only a foot before impact. At her distance, even with her enhanced eyesight, she could not distinguish features, only that they were blue and grey, tall and fast, various weapons blazing lines of hot fire into the evening air. 

Almost a quarter-mile away from her, they tore into the screaming crowds, cries cut short as the enemies blew apart the fleeing crowds, resplendent in their sharp cut tuxedos and sparkling gowns. 

Their corpses were just as beautiful. 

Without a second thought she again tried to activate the armor, only to grimace in pain as an electric charge struck her again. _"Ok, so my armor is out, but I still have to do something." _A loud static screech sounded in her ears, followed by two voices, fighting like wet cats locked in a bag with a angry dog. 

"I told you, the sub-matrix processor is not ready to handle that kind of power! You need to reconfigure the outlets to absorb and sustain-"

"I know! But the outlets are only needed in the final stage of the-" 

"No, you need to aline the capacitors first, _then_ bring the outlets to the proper charge, and finally-" 

"Am I interrupting?" she said, carefully trying to place the static distorted, yet familiar voices. 

"Samus! Its good to hear your voice." 

"Adam!" 

"Aye, it is I."

"How are you still functioning? That attack looked like it wiped out all electronic's." 

"Indeed it did, but thankfully the main core room was shielded." A long pause held the line as once again the two signals fought for dominance. 

"Aran. Your AI and myself are currently secured in the bottom-most level of the SP, near the main core. As it stands, the military Com is the only one still working, and that is sporadic at best. This is a hard-line I-

"_We_." 

"That _we_ managed to tap into, but the line is down in several areas. If you move into a location where the line is down, we will be unable to aid you." 

"Understood. Now, what can you tell me?" crouching down in the brush, angry at the dress's hampering of her movement. The crowds lay silent now, smoke chocking the air as it wafted into the night sky, blotting out the stars. The massive octagon had moved above the ports, slowly turning, several lights scanning the ground. 

Groups of twelve scoured the buildings, grabbing bodies and tossing them carelessly into a large pile in the central square. Once more the com crackled, and Cassie's melodious tones came. "Aran, we have managed to commandeer a satellite, though again, the link is unstable. From it, we have estimated that anywhere between a hundred to two-hundred of the enemies ground troops are in your vicinity. Also, reports of automatons are leaking through the M-Com, as the military continues to fight the invaders. Be warned, heavy weaponry is apparently required to destroy them." 

"Typical." she replied, the lack of her cannon weighing heavily on her right arm. _"Geez, there's some irony for you." _Standing again, she carefully made her way into the back alleys, the lack of light never a problem to her night-vision. Garbage littered the path, the dura-steel frames holding up well as the world went to hell. Tapping the com again, she quietly asked for more information on the plan. 

"Samus, Cassie and I have come up with a plan. As you may have seen, that octagon ship looks to be both a transport and support station. If you manage to disable/destroy it, then the invasion force in your area will be weakened. Also, it is generating the jamming field, however weak. If you remove that, we will be able to activate the defensive stations in orbit, possibly defeating the forces arrayed against us." 

As she ran the plan through her head, discarding ideas and regulating others as possible back-ups, she leapt to the fire-escapes, carefully moving up to the roof. When she had almost reached the top, a loud buzzing noise made her duck back down, not a moment to soon. Four of the sting-ray fighters flashed by, lights scanning the ground. Dull thumps reached her ears, carried on the still air. Below her, their shadows chaotically whipping about from the many fires. As they marched by, she noticed weapons resembling rifles held in their hands. 

A scope lay across the top of the compact rifle, a short barrel, a padded, compact stock, and no magazine to bee seen. A thin blue line ran from the middle to just before the barrel narrowed down, three green dots lay vertically above the trigger. The entire gun was the same grey as their armor, however devoid of the glyphs that adorned the armor. _"Of course they have guns. But noooo, not little old me." _

Creeping along the rooftops, she stared down at the square before her. To the west and east the main roads were blocked by rubble, only a few homes still standing. The north was the hotel, a number of holes and chunks missing. The south was where she had come from the party, through a small cluster of trees and large expanses of open ground. 

Leaping from one roof to another, forced to hopscotch because of the fallen homes and caved in roofs, she quickly and quietly made her way to the spaceport. Landing softly to the ferracrete, she slid to the side of the residence, crouching down as another squad of twelve went by, like the rest carrying what resembled backpacks. Two in the middle stuck close to one another, one holding a tripod and another wielding a large cannon, the massive bore huge in comparison to the other weapons. 

Behind them however, came four more, all shouldering thin tubes, three thick blue lines twinging around the entire tube. Two handles and strange pad sat on the bottom, easily accessible to the holder. She watched as the cannon duo set up a mere twenty feet from her position, placing their back to two fallen homes, protecting their back while their FOF covered the entire square, easily eclipsing the hotel plaza and the junction where the main roads met. 

Two of the tubers stayed with them, while another four of the rifles spread out to the squares center. The remaining four set up barriers at both the cannon and the street entrances, made from the rubble that was strewn about. Then once more her com came alive. "Aran, Cassie speaking. I-"

"Ehem."

A exasperated sigh came over the com again. "We have found that your ship, like the others, are under heavy guard. It alone remains unopened, ADAM here keeping out the software intrusion attempts, and he asked me to relay that your ship's defenses have killed three of the invaders." 

"Copy. Maintain com silence until instructed, enemy in close proximity. Over." 

Adam returned, vastly decreased in volume. "Roger that Samus, will await further orders." 

With that little bit of info, Samus ducked under the broken wall across her, only to wince as her foot knocked loose a small pile of stone. 

Instantly the tripod carrier whipped around, displaying the three vertical eyes that dominated what could be seen of its blue face. The eyes narrowed as it nudged its partner while drawing the rifle that was hanging across what would have been the chest of a human.

Its buddy slung from its back a different version of the rifle, missing the scope, line and three dots, but sporting large twin barrels, two blue lines crossing half-way along its length, both over and under. Both crouched over, sweeping the area as they advanced towards her position. 

Her breathing slowed, her eyes tracking them every step of the way, noticing escape routes and attack patterns, the time it took for a full sweep by both, the weapons possible functions, and the armors weak points, if any. All this and more flashed through her mind, forty years of combat training her mind to dissect and analyze every facet of her enemy, even the unknowns. 

But even more then that, it allowed her to know when to fight, and when to hide. Seconds before the lights would have hit her, she leapt up, catching hold on the lip of a broken floor, swinging her body up and over onto the ledge. Falling flat on her belly, she peered over the edge, watching as the two covered the entire lower level. As one they began searching the roof, the light beaming through every hole. 

She watched as they passed by her, clearly professional from the easy way that they held the guns. _"Do I kill them now, or let them pass me by?" _For several seconds the debate raged in her mind, the knowledge that killing them may save others, but combated by the fact that she had no idea of what their anatomy was like. A killing blow for a number of species could have little effect on them, or be just as lethal. _"Fifty-fifty either way." _Pulling herself over the edge with her arms, she slowly uncurled, supporting her entire body with a gymnasts grace. 

She waited until they had turned from her, then silently dropped from the roof, landing on all fours to soften the fall. Keeping low and slow, she approached the first one, aptly named Rifle in her mind. He/she/it was turning over a vase, entranced it seemed by the little swirls that covered its surface. Reaching between her thighs, she pulled forth a three inch, double edged blade, tightly clenched, ready to plunge into the _hopefully_ soft tissue shown from a thin seam in the armor. 

_The other ones in the next room over. If I can kill this guy quickly, I can take his weapon and nail the other just as fast._ Her left hand came up, ready to grab it around the neck and bring it down quickly. In that second however, it turned and saw her, only a foot from it and a knife drawn. 

Thinking just as fast, she lunged forward, her right leg taking a single step and her left arm grabbing hold of the breastplate. Twisting her hips and thrusting her arm forward, she plunged the knife deep into its chest, a soundless scream emitting from it as black blood poured from the wound. It swung at her with a fist, the thing racing at her, only to hit air as she ducked and spun on her heel, yanking the blade out. 

Continuing with the spin she sliced open another wound just above the greave, and her left arm snaked out, grabbed the wounded limb and pulled the heel, while her right elbow slammed into the knee joint, knocking it flat. Her ears picked up the sound of heavy boots trampling from the other room. That sound spurred her faster, and with a quick twist to a reverse-grip she pounded the knife into its throat, more of the black blood squirting out. 

Its hands reached for the wound, leaving the rifle on the floor. The door blew apart as the other one charged in, only to see a light haired female tuck and roll over the gun, coming to one knee and firing a short blue-white line of energy directly into its chest. However, a ripple of energy absorbed the attack with little effort, and it raised its own weapon, the twin barrels huge in her eyes. 

The barrels bucked as the wide-spread shot flew at her, tearing apart a wall as she leapt over it. Flipping in mid air she rebounded off the ceiling, her peripheral's noticing the rest of them rapidly approaching, the sound of the weapons fire easily noticed. But that was not the here and now. Grabbing the helms edge as she passed, her momentum took it down hard to the floor, the next shot splattering the roof into swiss cheese, tile and plaster raining down.

Pressing the barrel against the creatures head, she pulled the trigger, once more the energy blasting out, only this time burning a hole clean through the things skull. Tossing the gun to the side she jumped to the next floor, just barley escaping notice as the remaining ten crowded into the room, one with a white circle and a diagonal red slash directing the others, and the last one in with a circle engraved in the helm immediately running to the downed foes. 

"_Ok, circle and stripe is leader, and halo is medic. Good to know." _silently making her way to the square, something caught her eyes, and a small smile grew off her full lips. When she was ready, she let out a loud, piercing whistle. As one they turned took up cover from the building, peering out through the holes in the walls. They stood there in stunned silence for a moment. 

Too long. 

Lips compressed to a hard, grim line, she pulled the trigger of the massive cannon, watching as particle's gathered at the end, and within a second had fired off a huge round, the solid ball of blue-white energy blowing apart the entire building, as well as the next one behind it. Whistling at the destruction, and gagging at the horrible smell that their bodies left, Samus took off for the port's, sticking once more to the back alleys. _"Note to self: Get one of those for the ship." _

-----------------------------

The Warlord paced back and forth, his impatience a legendary thing in the military. As a member of the clan leadership, known simply as the _Troa_, he commanded all of the six classes, from the mighty warrior _Ve'Dra_, to the working class of _Shinia_. But that was not what occupied his mind at the moment. It was the waiting, the waiting for the reports of what they had found on the world they had taken. 

Only a moment later, and the telepathic contact was established. His _Nota_, or General, was coming through. _"Warlord," _He began, excitement and bloodlust raging in his words. _"The conversion process has begun, and the facilities that were undamaged have proven adequate for our needs. The Phazon spreads rapidly, and the few members of the original owners we found have given us valuable intel on the species abilities." _

His pacing stopped at last, much to the relief of the bridge crew, known as he was for cracking slackers on the skull. And even a light smack from the Warlord would possible kill a normal Phazonian.(AN2) _"Understood, what about-" _

The bridge doors slid open, and a harried _Xentra_ pushed his way through the crowd. _"Warlord!" _He shouted, even as he closed in on the massive figure. _"My lord, my I have tyour attention?" _

Turning to face the smaller being, he stared down at him, the tilt of his head a clear sign of his interest. _"Yes, what is it Maxo?" _

Maxo's emotions bubbled through the link, and he almost squealed in delight. _"My lord, we found him!" _

Shock raced through the Warlord as who possibly it was struck him. _"HIM?" _He boomed out, anger and a sick sense of delight flooding the link. _"Is it really Him?" _

Nodding frantically, Maxo replied _"Yes my lord! Its Ridley!" _

The Warlords laughter filled the ship, a dark and sinister thing, a corrupted version of what was meant to be a happy sound. His eyes narrowed as he strode for the transport, eager to talk with his old enemy. _"Ridley...It has been FAR to long." _

------------------------

AN 1: Yes, that is a real move, and yes, it REALLY hurts. 

AN 2: Its my name for them, ok? If you have a better one, let me know, k?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The first thing he noticed was the scar.

Almost indistinguishable from the black scales that covered his frame if you didn't know where to look, it ran from just under his right forearm to the last of his forty-seven ribs, and up and over to about a third of the way down his tail. Fingering his own scar, the three massive gashes that ran from his right shoulder to his left hip, the Warlord was not dissuaded from entering the room.

Pacing into the observatory with the excited air of a person about to achieve their life's dream, the Warlord ducked under the doorframe and came to stand before the clear energy fields. The quite beeping of monitors and low buzz of the fields were the only things that broke the stillness, the other Phazonians staying well back from their leader and the monster that lay bound before him.

Dozens of chains, glowing a bright bluish-white, lay thick across his fifty foot frame, his dark wings and limbs stretched taunt by winches, a slow and meticulous pull that would inexorably lead to them being pulled from the sockets if he didn't keep pulling on them.

Their eyes met and stared, flaming gold against snow white. The chains hung from his head and wrapped around his mouth, leaving only enough room for the lips to barely part. All Phazonians knew of a Dragons breath, and none wished to test their armor against the legendary flame, and so he was muzzled.

_How do the humans say it? Speak of the devil, and he shall come?_ Ridley sarcastically thought, molten fire dripping from between his razor-sharp teeth, the chains preventing him from opening wide enough to allow it to escape. "Well well," He spoke, his deep gravelly tones rumbling between the chains. "Hello, _Priest_. Its been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Its _Warlord _now, Dragon. After almost three thousand years, one would think even a dragon might recognize a different rank." His eyes narrowed as he studied the beast before him.

"Sorry," Ridley shot back. "I didn't really have time to look at insignias, I was too busy ripping your warriors limb from limb." What could only be called a snarl grew on his lips, revealing more of the gleaming teeth.

"Why the hell are you back? The Chozo and Luminoth gave you a chance, to never return here in exchange for your races survival, and now you break the Oath!? Have you no honor?"

"This is our home galaxy Dragon, and we are its rightful rulers. You and the others may have driven us out all those years ago, but after all our careful planning, we have all but destroyed the only beings that could stop us." He calmly replied, knowing that it would infuriate Ridley even more.

"What?!" Ridley roared out, the combination of shock, confusion, and rage making a volatile mix in a small room.

His head cocked to the right, like a dog might do when looking at something. "I was planning on torturing you for the remainder of your immortal life, but in fact, we might have a use for you." Turning to s small console that emerged from a recessed space, the Warlord drew forth a small square, about a foot by foot. Four small ports were on it, one on each side, winking lights and complex lines covering the bottom.

A single long finger depressed a button on the underside, the doors opening and a long tube emerged from it. Segmented and flexible, each was tipped with a point so sharp that it looked like light itself stayed away from the edge. The Warlord stepped forth near to Ridley's thrashing skull, the chains buzzing like angry hornets as they restrained the massive strength.

All four whipped forward in an instant, eagerly straining for the scaled head. Drawing back with a sharp hiss, Ridley redoubled his efforts, the chains anchors creaking and groaning as they sparked and sizzled. "I don't know what the hell that is, but you are _not _putting it on me!"

"You don't have a choice, monster." With that, he thrust it toward Ridley's face, and he knew no more...

_**Three Thousand years ago...**_

_The war torn world didn't even have a name. It was simply another planet that had been forced into a battlefield as the Trinity fought to hold the line against the Corruptions. The three Generals sat upon the cliff face, staring down at the massive plain that would by this time tomorrow, be bathed in blood._

"_Do we have a chance?" Grey Voice spoke up, the lanky frame covered in a russet and grey striped armor, the helm resting at his taloned feet. His three clawed fingers and sharp beak tore a chunk out of the rations. Almost bird-like in his appearance, feathers covered much of his body, a deep red, black spots gathered around the joints, a sign of middle-age creeping up on the powerful warrior. The distinctive arm-cannon that was the staple of Chozo armor was by his side, the pale green and streamlined machine a powerful tool. _

_A strange device of his own design was strapped to his throat, a tiny inch by inch square that was invisible beneath the feathers. It was for this that he had been granted the translated name of 'Grey,' as it itself translated into 'Destruction.' It allowed him to shout out, the device amplifying the sound waves into a conical blast of energy that could shatter steel and shake loose bones. _

"_I do not know, but we shall try." X-Qar said, her long legs tucked under her as she floated effortlessly above the red earth. Resembling nothing in as much as a humanoid moth, short, thin wings adorned her back, twin feelers elbowing back with soft fuzz sprouting along the entire length. _

_Her mandibles fluttered as she drank, the sweaty black armor slit in two by the vertical red stripe running down her mid line, branching out at the hips and breast bone and continuing down the arms and legs. _

_Her own personal weapon, a small tube hung from her right side, open at both ends and inscribed with a single twisting rune. It was her personal design, used to create a blazing sword, a miniature cannon, or even a barrier. Across her lap lay a gauntlet, her nimble fingers gently prying away the damaged exterior and exposing the complex and sizzling innards. _

"_It will end, one way or another." Came a low rumble. Towering over both of the eight foot aliens, a creature that looked to have emerged from a child's nightmare lay all too real upon the dusty stone. Almost fifty feet long and twenty feet tall, Shar'nor, who would one day be know to the universe as Ridley, shone in the fading light, the sliver armor that covered his body dented and scratched from years of battle . Almost one mass of metal, the articulation points made it one of the more mobile suits worn. _

_His forelimbs and rear legs carried armor on the outside and over the top of the feet and hands, allowing for free movement. The wings lay folded across his back like a cape, the row of spikes that ran down his spine dissuading any from leaping upon him. The tail was completely encased in armor, the joints so masterfully crafted that it had almost the entirety of its normal range. _

_His head, neck, and upper jaw were protected, while the lower half was left bare, allowing for the powerful maw to clamp down and crush, or the raging flame to emerge unhindered. _

_A smirk that would one day drive Samus into a rage lit his features, the toothy smile still slightly agape. "Either way, its gonna be one hell of a ride!" _

_Shaking their heads at his light hearted attempts, they glanced at one another before saying together: "Dragons."_

--

Silent footfalls were all that gave away her position as Samus raced between rubbles piles and corpses. Many other squads had rushed to the battle, only to stop as they assessed the damage done. Her steps gradually carried her to the hovering plate, the search lights still relentlessly scanning the ground in symmetrical arcs.

Studying the lights patterns intensely, she noticed right off the bat that they always had the same route, easily overlapping then separating, only to swivel back and forth between the two axis that they rotated upon. _Ok, quick over-view. One: Get past the security and access the towers core to retrieve Adam and Cassie. Two: Disable/destroy the platform, and hopefully restore my suit. Three: Acquire my ship. _

Her goals laid clear in her mind, Samus sprinted at top speed for the pile nearest to the ship, while still outside its search patterns. Quick as a snake she darted past the lights, if only by inches. Silent as a shadow she moved further and further into the octagons bulk, the former control tower's remains thrown down below it.

Dozens of bodies lay strewn about, the fallen tower having tossed many of the workers to the unforgiving stone. _Hmmm..._ She thought, gazing at the bodies. After only a moments debate one was dragged to a shadowed corner, the sound of rustling fabric emerging from the blackness. She crept out once again, this time with worn, loose pale blue pants hiked up, a frayed leather belt cinched as tightly as possible around her narrow waist, but still they fell to almost below her hips.

A grey shirt and brown vest covered her torso, and her brilliant blond mane was once again tied back in a long ponytail that hung to the middle of her back. Her knives hung from the belt this time, and a small keycard hidden within the vests pocket. Surveying the open ground before her, the lights cutting through the dark all around, she noticed a distinct lack of guards.

_Are they really arrogant enough to not post defenses around the ship, or is it that no other forces can get in? _Ice-hard eye narrowed as she sprinted for the building, the large pads hanging on various levels, only a few ships, her's included, remained untouched. Ducking under the semi-collapsed doorway, she made her way down, each step taken with an unconscious expertise.

The inky blackness was a hindrance, her night-vision better then any humans, but still far less then other species. The thing that really unnerved her however, was the _silence_.

The entire compound and surrounding area was as still as a tomb, not a sound to be heard from anything. Even the hovering plate was utterly soundless, and while she may be used to keeping quiet around others and even herself, there had always been something in the background, an engines hum, a clink of debris off the window, air breezing by.

This was not just a quiet place, it was a void, an emptiness that made even her skin crawl, inviting in images of monsters, both real and imagined. Roughly shaking her head to dispel the images, Samus continued on. She passed dozens of rooms, lockers and bunks, workstations and control panels. Everything was opened, everything tossed to the floor as thought the enemy didn't know what was important, and so tossed and smashed everything.

_Tools, personal effects, clothing, food, and...is that a kitchen sink?_ Categorizing the items took her mind off the eerie stillness.

At least a little.

It didn't matter much in any case, the trail leading to an open stairway lit only by a single lamp, the light only seeming to increase the shadows presence. Descending the stairway, her footsteps ringing hollow on the corrugated steel, Samus moved further and further down, passing flight after flight, working her way to the core room on the sixth sub-level out of twelve.

At last reaching the sixth floor, she stopped and ducked back behind the ascending stairs. The entire doorframe was melted, the molten red steel a sure sign of hostile activity. The very air seemed heavier, harsher to her lungs, the smell of fired circuits and conduits wafting in from the air-recycler's. Moving through the melted hatch carefully, Samus's gaze swept the entire hallway, searching for whatever had made that hole.

Seeing and sensing nothing, it only made it all the stranger. _These guys don't look like the types to leave any survivors, yet there are no bodies in the building itself. Lots outside, but aside from the tossed items, _nothing _is out of place save this spot. _Drifting through the door at last, Samus moved down the short corridor, quickly reaching the core. Three colored lines, green, red an yellow, were painted on the floor, branching out in the stairway to lead to the reactor, the computer core, and the defense systems.

Dozens of consoles lined the walls, a mix of hues with a single oval platform in the center, two small figures on the glowing screen. The male was that of a hard-lined, thirty year old man, crew-cut brown hair crowning a lean, powerful frame. His face was handsome, almost classic in the way he held himself, but his eyes were what caught a persons attention. Powerful blue eyes that she remember seemed to peer into her very soul stared out from the Holo.

He towered over the shorter female at six foot two inches, but her own height of five-seven was nothing to scoff at. Her own long blue hair hung past her waist, her rather...shapely, body an eye catcher for any red-blooded male. Tall and lean, she was a true beauty, angular chin and high cheekbones framing a slightly Asian face.

Both stood, Cassie with her arms crossed and left foot tapping, Adam standing at relaxed attention, but both obviously waiting for her. "Its about time you showed up! We've been waiting here for an hour! Do you know how long doing nothing for an hour is when you can perform sixteen million bytes of information per minute?"

"Easy." Adam calmly said. "She had to be careful, what with the invaders combing the place. Samus, report." The same commanding tone that had been a driving force in her time in the military still held true now, even coming from a foot tall Holo.

"Sir." Her back straightened, and she barely resisted the impulse to snap a salute. "As far as I was able to determine, the Com tower was severed, thereby ending the plan to activate the satellite defense systems. The inner complex was ransacked, yet nothing was taken." A breath and she continued. "However, the invaders seemed to be not interested in any of the items that they found. Most were simply tossed aside. I believe that they were searching for something in particular, or just looking about in an attempt to learn more about us."

Another deep breath, she finished with: "As far as I was able to determine, no enemy remains in the building. The outer door was melted from some type of weapon, and the lower levels I have yet to explore."

"Understood. Before you go, we have made some amendments to make to the plan." Raising his right index finger, "First: Get the main drives to Cassie here, and install her into the armor's systems. Second: get the activation codes for the satellites from the reserve data-banks on the lowest level. Third: Board the vessel above and take it out by any means necessary."

Smiling, he asked her that same question, one that still held a special place in her heart.

"Any objections, Lady?"

At last having gotten over the feeling of being back on Sol, Samus sat on a spare console, legs tucked up under her, the plan already running around her head, flaws and details being hammered out by her quick mind. "No." She replied at last, standing and making for the door.

"Can you keep me updated while in the building at least?" She asked, smirking over at Adam. "Or are you going to get distracted by your new friend?"

Adam crossed his arms, the fabric rustling against itself. A single eyebrow quirked up, but before he could unleash the scathing retort, Cassie interrupted.

"Oh, gross! He's what, thirty years older then me?" She looked Adam up and down, a grimace on her lips. "I would rather do a virus!"

Cutting her short, Adam snarled out "_That _could be arranged."

Leaving the two of them to bicker, Samus left the room, once more descending into the deeper levels, the light now almost completely gone. Once more the absence of all sound unnerved her, and the near pitch-black took away yet another sense. Feeling her way down by touch and the slight outlines of whatever lay in her path, Samus continued forth.

A half-hour later, her watch's glow the only source of light in the area, Samus at last reached the bottom floor. Another door hung in tatters, steel rente and hanging in ribbons from the wall. The entire wall had a gaping hole torn into it, almost ten by ten in size, the walls that ran after it also torn and broken, almost as though something to large for the area had blown down at a high speed.

Creeping down the now dimly lit hallway, she at last emerged into a wide dome, a large static filled holo-screen taking up most of the southern wall, two double-steel doors under it. Another set waited at the eastern wall, and a single door led into the west, while the north held her own path. The center of the room was covered in debris, the large table and chairs buried under a large amount of fallen ceiling.

_So this was a sort of last bastion? If they could, survivors would race down here and seal the door, hopefully keeping out any of the enemy. Apparently no one made it..._Her mind already having dismissed the wreckage, she made her way to the single door on the west. It led into a simple barracks, dozens of cots lined against the walls, three small stalls for bathroom purposes in the back. Leaving the door open, an unconscious move that would allow her to see anything that came out, she made for the eastern set.

This one was a storage room, food, water, and medical supplies lining the walls. Only a few outdated weapons were there, a small energy pistol that was so old that when she picked it up a cloud of dust clogged the air. Snorting it away and pocketing the pitiful gun, she at last made way for the last set of doors, directly under the viewscreen.

She had only begun to push on the door, when a slight _ping _reached her ears. Eyes wide as her sharp gaze pierced the gloom, she saw what could only be a bomb on the other side. Time seemed to slow down as she launched herself to the side, never more thankful for super-human reflexes then at that moment. It blasted out with a roar, blue-white flames licking at the metal, the doors blown clear across the room to smash heavily into the remains in the rooms center.

Coughing to clear her lungs of the smoke, she waved her hands to disperse it, only stopping when the sounds of clicking metal and thrown duracrete. Four long, articulated limbs shot out of the wreckage, each sharp tip smacking into the ground with a slick _snick_. A large rectangle burst out of the top, a thin rotating thorax connecting the two halves.

A thick black line ran the circumference of the rectangle, two smaller squares atop it, the sides opening to revel about ten holes in it, three panels sliding and interlocking with one another, two six barreled guns already spinning into motion as she watched.

_Son of a bitch..._

--

Valan and the defense fleets had only a few minutes warning. The fifteen fleets, over a thousand capital ships, and almost five thousand fighters, along with thirty defensive satellites, waited in orbit around Mars and Earth. Mars was the first line of defense, the colonists had been evac'ed, and the turrets had been laid into place. Almost five hundred mines were spaced in various orbits about Mars, and they were awaiting the signal for activation.

Only a few scouts remained in the asteroid belt, waiting for when the enemy arrived. For almost two hours they waited, chatting on private lines back and forth, trying to ennui at bay. However, the moment that the local radiation spiked, they geared foe combat.

Video and audio feeds were broadcast back to the fleets, engines fired up and weapon systems primed. At first the sub-space tears was only a single ship. A single squid-like carrier glided gracefully through the open wormhole. In seconds it had begun to deploy its fighters, expecting the attack.

The fifteen scouts opened up (AN 1) their plasma guns stitching hot red lines across several of the manta fighters, followed by a subsequent explosion. All dove down, rocks large and small speeding by them, sometimes missing by only inches._ "Gamma Squad, Leader. Break by pairs and engage the enemy." _Orders received, all broke their charge, most going after the fighter squads, while the last four dove for the carrier.

The Manta's rose to meet them, two small holes in the wings blasting back white orbs of energy that tore clean through the rock around them. The carrier's limbs did nothing, only continue to push the ship forward, while the main body fired off the few weapons that it had. As the groups blasted back at one another, the last ship had devised a quicker way to deal with the Cap.

Its landing thrusters flared as it attached itself to the massive rock. Fingers flew as the faceless man brought up the carriers course and speed, extrapolating the future coordinates. The directional thrusters flashed into life, and slowly, oh so slowly, the sixty foot rock became the second slowest missile in history. The landing thrusters creaked and groaned as they struggled to hold their integrity against the powerful forces opposing one another.

At last it began to pick up speed, the ships momentum and kinetic energy passing to the asteroid, bull-rushing the area ahead of the Squid. It began to turn away from the clear attack, and the massive stone rushed by, its mass pulling the Cap along with it for a moment.

So focused was the captain of the Squid, he never saw the second rock coming before it was too late. The first slowest missile in history slammed into its grey side, the shields flashing for only a split-second before dissipating, the grey metal crumpling like tin sheets before a fist. Some sort of gas rushed out, tossing the entire ship to the side, and the next seven fighters that had maneuvered the icy stone fired off a dozen missiles, white coattails of vapor trailing behind before explosions lit the insides, more chunks ripping away in a silent seam, dozens of cracks running along its length.

Shouts flooded the com as the Cap broke apart, bodies and shrapnel flying into space, the few fighters left already retreating, only to vanish as missiles tracked them down and tore what they called life away. Those same shouts died quickly as almost fifty other rifts opened, ships spilling forth like a wave.

"_All squads, jump NOW!" _The leader shouted into the mike, his fists clenching so hard that the leather creaked, his watched as the needle that showed the energy gauge for the Rift slowly filled. It was too late however, a white-hot blast taking his ship and every other scout in the area to dust.

Minutes later the barrage ended, leaving behind only floating motes of dust, the vanguard of the Battlecluster moving onward as ten, twenty, a hundred, five hundred portals opened, ships emerging out one after another.

In all, almost five thousand ships roared silently out into the vacuum of space, the blood-red Mars the only defense that green Sol had...


	6. Chapter 6

Hey everybody! All three of you who read this! Sorry its been a while, but I just started working the nightshift from 10-7,so its a bit of an adjustment. Oh, and one of my friends had a hard time with some prior text, so let me clear that up:

The Phazonians are a wholly telepathic race, but I use the regular text with them now simply for simplicitys sake. Even when they are talking to other races, its all in the head.

Other then that, please tell me what you like, what you dont like, and hell, if you have an idea for a situation or idea that you would like to see in the story, tell me and I'll see if I can work it in!

And for the record, several people have asked me if this is going to be a Samus/Ridley Romance. I honestly cannot say. I like the idea behind the pairing, but I doubt I can write well eoungh to do it justice. So most likely I will leave it at a solid friendship, but if enough people cry out for it, I'll give it a whirl.

Final note: READ ANGSETH (SP Kat?) ITS AWESOME!!

Lets Roll.

--

Chapter Six

_Why does this _always _happen? _She griped, an almost reflexive movement spring-boarding her to the left and back to her feet, the bullets that the mini-guns fired off tearing into the wall behind her. _It never fails. There's always a large, angry creature in my way before I can leave. _Sweat ran down her body, the high heat generated by the machine causing the local tempature to sky-rocket.

Her right arm snapped up while still in mid-flip, almost as though it had a mind of its own. Three quick bursts of yellow energy splashed across the machines front, only a few thin scorch marks for the effort. _Tch, its either heavily armored or shielded, neither of which these pistols can get through. _

The two six-barreled guns sizzle filled the air as the machine continued to track her position, her long legs eating up the ground as she sprinted around the dome, just barely keeping ahead of the blue-white death. Bits of wall and vaporized metal clouded behind her as she ran on, her right arm continuing to fire, a thoughtless action that had been ingrained into her very core after so many years of combat.

Shot after shot splashed against the armored hide, scuffing and blacking, but nothing more. The four limbs clicked on the steel plates as it trudged after her, the turret top constantly revolving as the guns tracked her down.

Again and again Samus fired, only to be rewarded with nothing. Not even thinking, her body reacted, stopping and ducking under the line of fire, the mini-guns bullets shredding the wall overhead, plaster and melted metal flying everywhere, covering her back and tangling her hair. From the crouch she leapt forward, staying low and fast.

In a second she covered the space separating them, the four legs trying to scuttle back in time, the guns unable to track that close to itself. It was too slow, Samus easily overtaking it and leaping into the air, flipping once, extending her right leg to its maximum and slamming the heel into the top.

A large dent appeared in the metal, and her foot almost instantly exploded in pain, the shock of impact racing up her limb and screaming along the nerves. However, long years had taught her the difference between a broken pain, and a sore pain. _Its still ok, but note to self: Don't hit unknown metal with _foot_. Still, had to test if I could damage it in any way. Didn't want to have to sacrifice the pistol, but looks like I have no choice. _

Landing on her left, she spun again in place, whipping herself under the machine, her personal pistol charged up and ready. Still carrying the momentum from the spin, the pistol was wedged into the articulation joint, a weaker, less armored part from her observation.

The tiny energy cell overloaded only a second after Samus had tumbled beneath the second pair of legs, the charge glowing a bright yellow before discharging, the blast blowing a six foot crater in the floor, a cloud of vaporized metal hiding the damage. Ice blue eyes searched the slowly spreading cloud, only to widen in horror as four missiles screeched out of the cloud, the small warheads already locked on.

Leaving behind tunnels in the smoke cloud, the four missiles twisted in the air, coming from four different angles and trajectories, leaving her only one option.

Run like hell.

Tucking and rolling back, she pushed off with her hands and thrust up with her hips, throwing herself into the air and landing easily on her feet, three of the missiles slamming into where she had been, exploding and throwing up small fireballs before her.

The fourth one made it through, still heading right for her thin body. Her arms wrapped around her core and lashed out, twisting her body out of its path, and away. Her hands slapped the hard metal, stinging like crazy, but moving the lithe form out of danger. A simple side roll and she was on her feet again, the old pistol now in her right hand again as the missile detonated behind her.

It was aimed and primed before her feet had even finished touching the ground. For a moment, silence held all in its icy grasp, but soon enough the slick _snick _on the razor edged legs on metal rang in the air. It dragged itself forward on three legs, the fourth rear one sparking and sizzling as it hung on only by a few shreds of metal and wire.

A ruby red light grew in the black line that encircled its rectangular head. It ran the length of its track before stopping at the damaged leg, where another dot grew in the vizor, staring directly at her. _Is it...scanning me? _She wondered, only to jerk in surprise as the fourth leg collapsed to the ground with a resounding clang, the remaining legs spreading out to evenly distribute the weight.

It guns once more began to whine as they spun in place, its red dots _Or eyes _She thought absently, locked onto her. _Ah, damn it._ Running her map of the room over and over in her head, an idea struck her. Her head snapped up and around to look directly at the massive viewscreen, a slow grin growing upon her full lips. _That might work. _

Glancing at the mech, Samus charged it again, the mini-guns still spinning up. Seeing her charge, it raced forward as well, it guns firing hundreds of energy bullets at her. Staying between the two horizontal pillars, she once more jumped upon it, landing lightly atop its head. Crouching in place, her long, muscular legs bent, the powerful tendons and fibers bunching before uncurling, launching her high into the air.

The jump shot her like an archaic cannonball, almost twenty feet up and over. A single flip mid-flight brought her arms just within reach of the screens top, fingertips digging in as the machine tried to rear back in order to bear on her. The fourth legs absence forced the mech into a tri-pod shape, its front leg straining as it bore through the metal fatigue.

Sweat covered her body as the heat from the screen combined with the mechs, one drop running into her left eye, making it feel as though ants were covering the surface, biting and stinging constantly. Blinking furiously to clear it away, she hauled herself over the edge only a second before a low _click _reached her ears.

_The missiles!_ She realized, knowing that only seconds remained before they impacted. Glancing down between her thighs at the single supporting steel encased cable line, she straightened jean clad legs, shoved her back against the wall, and brought the old pistol to bear on the cable.

_One._

_Two._

_Three._

_Click. _

_Click click click._

_Ah sonofabitch._

Three shots rang out before the pistol's energy cell ran dry, the sharp click of the trigger on dry metal a sure sign of her end. Before she thought about it, before she tried to plan, Samus acted.

Sliding rapidly to just above the cable, only a bare three inches of steel and various cables held it up. Bracing again, she shoved, back and arms against the screen, legs pushing, _pushing_. Creaking and groaning, her slim hundred-forty pound body shoved for all its worth, the cable broke at last, the metallic _snap _a herald to the destruction of the mech.

Three resounding explosions rattled their way through her, and shattering glass sprayed over the edge, flames licking over the entire front. Her empty stomach traveled up her throat as gravity vanished, the long, low groan of the toppling screen as it raced down for the mech filling her ears.

Pain ripped into her back with a explosion that completely defeaned her, her mind blanking out as she was tossed like a rag doll into the air, her equilibrium gone from the sudden blast of air pressure. The wall stopped her cold, the impact rattling her very bones, only to weather a second impact from the floor. Groaning as she twisted herself upright she banished the pain back into the corner of her mind, not noticing the blood that splattered the ground behind her.

Blue-white bullets tore into the screen, the missile ports opening for a second volley, and the three legs back-pedaled furiously as it tried to escape the eight tons of metal, wire and tubing. It was far too slow however, and with an all-mighty _crunch_, the mech was buried once more under a pile of rubble.

As the dust settled, pistol out and trained, Samus carefully approached the mound, limping slightly from a pulled tendon. Once again silence fell upon the dome, the sharp smell of burnt ozone and melted plastic wafted around her, a few pieces of metal clanking as it settled down. At last the lone visible leg stopped twitching, the final sparks fading away as they died on the duracrete floor.

Dismissing the mech at last, she quickly made her way back to the double-doors that had begun the entire fight. The gaping hole left by the bomb was still smoldering, the edges glowing cherry-red from the fires heat, small wisps of smoke curling up and away from it. Silently entering the main control room, she carefully cleared it, the empty pistol now only a deterrent to any possible attackers.

The room was a bare-bones corridor, made for function and survival, nothing more. Cables and wires ran across the walls and ceilings, a few even tangled on the floor as they inevitably led her right to the only room past the doors. The low hum of static filled screens greeted her, the chaotic mess of black and white pixels making her eyes water from looking at it for too long.

A single chair faced the screens, a keyboard laid across it for easy access. Hundreds of wires ran from the back of the terminal to a series of data banks, each one about six feet tall and two feet across, wireless routers soundlessly beeping. Quickly seating herself into the only chair, she almost instantly bolted upright as pain shot from her back.

Air hissed out between her teeth as she gently probed her back, only to jerk away as the pain flared up again. Shutting off one of the screens and using the slight reflection to check her back she saw the damage. At least a dozen tiny wounds pockmarked the once flawless skin of her back, shrapnel wounds from the missile's exploding against the viewscreen to her back.

Hanging her head, blond hair falling around as it escaped from its destroyed pony-tail, Samus leaned forward in the chair and began punching in the codes Cassie had given her, fingers hitting the keys just a bit harder then needed. _I hate this place, I hate this place I hate this place. _The mantra continued in her mind as her fingers entered the last sequence, a faint pop sounding as one of the data banks slid free from its cradle.

Grabbing it and taking off for the stairs, she paused by the mechs leg. For a moment she studied the metal, a calm, peaceful look on her face.

Then she kicked it.

Hard.

A large dent collapsed in the metal, and her toes screamed at her. _Oh shut up you damn toes!_

_..._

_...Im talking to my toes. _

_Im still doing it. _

_Yeah, I need some therapy. _

Moving on from her rather disturbing admission that she had been talking to her toes, Samus didn't waste a second before taking off for the stairwell, taking them two at a time, eager to finish up the annoying task that had been set on her shoulders.

Soon enough the doorway was in sight again, the _still _bickering voices of the two AI's drifting out.

"No no, you have to thrust it in, like this!"

"Oh, that's _gooood_..."

"Thanks, your pretty tight yourself, best form I've seen in a _long _time."

"Aww, your just saying that cause my tongue was better then yours."

"True, but I won in the end."

"Hey, that little trick you did with tour teeth and lips was impressive, but I-"

"Whatis going on in here!?"

Both AI's whipped around like caught school-children doing something that they weren't supposed to. Two thin rapiers were gripped in their hands, full padding covering most of their bodies. "Lady! Your alright!"

A rather stunned silence met that statement.

"Ok, let me rephrase that question. What the _hell _is going on in here?" Almost quivering with anger she stomped up to the 'H-pad and tightly gripped the edges, short blunt fingernails scratching thin lines in the steel. "Are you telling me," She growled out, voice low and filled with barely restrained rage. "That the _whole time _that I have been fighting for my life against some kind of armored crab-tank, that you two have been up here practicing _fencing_?!"

Both had backed up to the very edge of the pad, quick side-long glances at the other passing information at high speed. Cassie finally stepped forward, her long blue hair put up in a tight bun. "Um, actually, we also had a bubble-gum blowing contest."

Adam's jaw could have hit the floor, he was so stunned. He made to grab her arm and tear her anew one, but Samus's lean arms shot through his holographic body and latched onto the far edges, putting her face directly before Cassie. "You _**what?**_"

"Uh, well you see we were-"

Adam's hand locked around her mouth in a grip so tight that it could have broken her jaw, had she been real. "Exnay on the ubble-bay." He hissed into her ear. Looking up at Samus, he saw the same tired humor burn its way through her anger. "Your lucky." He texted to Cassie, not wanting Samus to hear this. "Samus gets annoyed at times like this, but anger like that is a fleeting thing, easily swept aside by her own self-control. I've only seen her ever _truly _angry against either Dark or Ridley. Its...scary. _She's _scary when facing them."

Flopping onto the backwards chair, Samus kept her back towards the two AI's, not wanting the dozens of wounds to be aggravated further.

Of course, she had forgotten that Adam could see her wounds, the Vira armor now missing. "Lady! Your hurt!" Like an enraged father seeing his daughter come home with a knife wound, he tore into the sub-systems of the tower, rapidly finding what little they had in the way of medical supplies. "Get that data file into the defense systems, and then head to the garage."

Cassie was a little put-out by the sudden one-eighty that had just been pulled. "Wait a second! What the hell just happened here? She comes in with the fires of Hades burning, cools off almost instantly, and then you fly off the handle at a few wounds! Are you two always like this?!"

Both exchanged a long look, a slow grin spreading across their faces. "Yes." They replied simultaneously.

--

_Squelch_.

"Ow."

Clink.

_Squelch_.

"Ow."

Clink.

_Squelch_.

"Ow."

Clink.

"...If I had a stomach, I think I would be puking right now." _Squelch_.

"Ow. Yeah, but then you'd have all those nasty human problems as well. Hunger, tiredness, morning breath, need to use the bathroom-" _Squelch_. "Ow. And the big one of, ya know, _dying_. You AI's have it better then you think."

Blood ran down her back in thin rivulets, leaking from the small wounds for a few seconds before the robotic arms gently placed a cotton swab on her back.

_Squelch_. Snapping her head around to glare at Adam's concentrating face, she ground out "Could you _please _be more careful?" The four articulated arms paused in their labors, almost seeming sorry before resuming the new programming that Adam had written into their codes.

_Squelch_. "God damn it."

"Now now Aran, its not that bad. They've got all but the last three out. Just hang on and we'll get a bit of biofoam(1) into those wounds." He paused, watching as his charge twitched with every twist and tug on her skin. "Your very lucky that missile was going through that screen. If it hadn't, these shrapnel would have gone clean through your body like a plasma blade through a foot-an-a-half of steel." Staring at the scorched wall, black charred remnants of a small battle fought there, Samus didn't reply for a moment.

"Im not that lucky. If they had, I wouldn't-" _Squelch_. "Be here in your _oh so tender _mercies."

Crossing his arms as he weathered her quips, Adam prepared to retort, only to be interrupted by Cassie. "What, you'd rather be dead?"

"...Ok, new rule: You two are not allowed to discuss the same subject, ever. I can barely win an argument with-" _Squelch_. "-Adam here. Two AI's? I'm screwed."

"Well," Cassie spoke up again, grinning at Adam. "I do like messin' with people, sooo..."

_Squelch_.

"I fuckin' hate this planet."

--

After finally dressing the last of her wounds and tugging back on the now ragged shirt, Aran and her two companions once more entered the sixth floor. For the final time Adam and Cassie took their places on the pad as Samus shoved the data file into the mainframe, followed almost immediately by Cassie's gasp. Lines of code rushed up her body for a brief moment before subsiding back to the normal speed once more.

"Ok," She breathed out, an almost giddy glow suffusing her face. "I've got the codes. Now all we have to do is broadcast the signal and the satellites will open fire."

"Excellent. Now Lady, upload Cassie to the armor and lets get out of here." He vanished again as Samus lay her hand onto the pad, his body dissolving into a whirlwind of sparkling motes. A tingle ran up her arm as his data downloaded into the cybernetic implant in the base of her neck, a warm rush akin to warm honey being spilled over her mind.

"_Still lots of room in here I see." _He quipped, settling in for what seemed to be a long haul. _"Now, lets get Cassie uploaded to a 'port and finally finish this battle." _

Shaking her head to remove the strange feeling of another presence in her head, she didnt see the rapidly blinking lights of the core as Cassie compressed herself into a single matrix. She did see Cassie look slowly around, taking in the last glimpses of what was essentially her body.

"Do it." She calmly said, only to vanish like Adam and take up residence in the implant. _"Ok, Im good. Wow...there really is a lot of room in here. Hmm...ok, we can put the couch there, the desk over there, and-" _

"Are you planning on redecorating my mind?"

"_Yep."_

"No drapes. I hate those things."

"_Rugs?" _

"One."

"_A bed?" _

"Ha! You wish."

"_Damn it." _

"_Can we _please _focus?" _

"_Aww..."_

"Fine." At last having everything needed to accomplish their mission, all three moved upward to what remained of the tower. Once again emerging back into the ground floor, Samus was startled to see light shafting down through holes in the ceiling. "Guys. The ships gone."

"_What? Is it destroyed?" _Adam asked, hating the lack of sensors that practically blinded him. _"Can you see anything?" _

"Quiet." Crouching down behind walls corner, she peered out onto the empty plain between the nearest buildings and the tower. It was then that she realized that the light was not from the moon, but from the crystal.

Almost three hundred feet tall and almost a hundred wide, the jagged blue-white crystal was buried in the earth, chunks of duracrete tossed aside from the crater that had been gouged out from the tip slamming into the ground at high speed. But it was what was bubbling out of the massive monstrosity that brought the cold grip of well remembered fear and pain to once more lock around her heart.

"_Phazon." _

--

Light-years away on the former Pirate world of Marran, it was almost impossible to see the original crust beneath the thick layer of hardened Phazon, the massive crystals now almost completely drained of their muta-genic cargo. The Warlord's easy gait carried him up the corrugated stairwell, Phazon dripping from the railing and underside of the stairwell and crystalizing in long lines that now hung from almost every overhang and raised area. As the

hard webbing peeled aside at his approach, the Warlord looked out on the massive developed regions of the fairly advanced technology that these, _Pirates_, had created.

Hundreds of _Shinia_ worked to restore the few damaged areas from the attack, molding the Phazon to hold up and strengthen the buildings. The atmosphere had already begun to churn as the gas's began to intermix, the Phazon slowly expunging the deadly nitrogen-oxygen mixture, and would replace it with the sweet scent of clean Phazon.

His _Nota _stood at the top of the winding stairwell, twin pistols magnetically attached to his hips, a single long dagger hanging horizontally across the back of his waist. The grey armor that all military wore was thicker across the chest, back, and head, two reinforced shoulder plates carrying a single green line across their entirety.

The shields that protected every one of the _Ven'Dra_, the top warriors of his fleet, were among the best around, and when combined with the armor allowed for the protection from both heat and high-gravity environments. Much more advanced then the armor worn by the _Gru'Mar_, or the basic grunts, it paled only in comparison to the armor worn by the Warlord, or that of the mechanized _Vox_, the Four-limbed.

Both stood silent as they watched the _Shinia _carried out their menial tasks, melting out a massive depression into the crust and pooling pure liquid Phazon into the bowl. Atop their platform they watched as their ranks were replenished.

Corpses were piled high below them, a mountain of torn flesh and green blood, hundreds of already mutated scavengers eating away at the rotten muscle and bone. A few _Shinia _absently waved a few away as they gabbed whatever limb of closest corpse, dragging it to the pools edge, and throwing it in like garbage. The Phazon absorbed the bodies without a splash, the corpse vanishing into the soup. On the far side however, something new was taking place.

Out of the muck, hands erupted from the surface, pale blue veins clearly visible beneath the taunt skin. One after another pulled themself from the pool, Phazon dripping off of their bodies and armor, blank white eyes staring lifelessly ahead. The Pirates skin almost instantly began to harden once removed from the liquid, forming a hard, chitinous carapace, their bodies already moving faster as the Phazon somehow brought a semblance of life back to the soulless husks.

"How many Corrupted?" The Warlord asked, watching as the _Shinia_ shoved the new troops into large phazite containers. Once each of the fifty-ton boxes were full, a transport broke off from the chaotic order of the streaming ships and descended. Six legs unfolded from beneath the troop carrier, four engines rumbling as the legs latched onto its edges, only to screech to an even higher octane as it hauled the now weighted container.

"Only a few hundred, most escaped before the crystals could land. Ridleys tactics allowed most of the population to escape, but we were able to discover that this was a new colony, therefore only roughly five thousand Pirates had initially taken home here."

Nodding in satisfaction, he crossed his powerfully muscled arms, the heavy double-headed war-hammer strapped to his back clanked softly against his thick armor. A single large-bored pistol gleamed at his hip as he turned away from the scene, Nota's much thinner frame still easily keeping pace with the taller Phazonian's strides.

"The logs left behind indicated that while this was to be a colony, it was also meant to house a significant military presence. Turrets, vehicles, weapons, and even research on multiple subjects have been found. The Xentra are currently working on decoding the work, but it is slow going. These Pirates seem to be a very careful species, as almost every single log entry, even those found in the homes, are encoded."

"Hrm." He ground out, the other's rapidly removing themselves from his path. "What deadline are we looking at? How much time until this planet is fully integrated and all Corrupted are ready for combat?"

"Only two more days Warlord, and the Corrupted will be ready for combat. Memory implantation and basic operations will be infused, weapons issued. We also-"

"Warlord!" The mental shout carried across the Command link, filled with a heat and light of discovery and joy, a drastic contrast between the usual feeling of coldness and analytical mindset. "There's something you need to see! Quickly!"

With that the link faded once more into the background, a tired glance at Nota all the exclamation that the Warlord would allow himself. "We had best go see what has Maxo so excited. Any bets on what it might be?"

"Fifty maki says its another bogus energy reading that he thinks will be the herald of a new age."

"Hm. I'm going with another attempt to assassinate me."

"Ooo, the dangerous route. Feeling lucky are we?"

"Nota, you know as well as I do that he covets the name of Warlord. The question is, when will he try again."

"Not in the middle of a war I hope."

"War?" Laughter bubbled out through the link again, the easy camaraderie between the old friends palpable. "This is no war, these Pirates were easily crushed beneath only a fraction of our fleet, and this conglomeration of worlds, this Federation? They are only just ahead of the Pirates in technology. We have the advantage of greater numbers, better technology, easy re-supplyment, and the power to use the enemies own corpses against them. This 'war,' will be over in a month."

Their conversation turned away from the war itself and onto simpler, lighter subjects, those of the new symbols that Nota wished for identifying the commanders. The once black-steel, single story bunker now looked as though a spider had thrown its webs across its roof, thick layers of Phazon webbing parting before the two warriors.

A dozen of the scientific _Xentra _were racing about, decoding or working on integrating their instruments with the Pirate's mish-mash of hybridized tech.

Maxo raced up to them, his words flowing together into one stream of information, far too fast for either of the fighters to comprehend it. "MyLordthereadingsareastounding!TheresiduePhazonemmitionsare-"

"Maxo! Repeat that, slower this time." Summoning forth a seat from the floor, they both sat back, waiting for Maxo's breathing to slow.

His three nostrils widened and narrowed rhythmically as he slowly took in the mixture of gases. "Apologies Warlord, but the readings are simply amazing! As you know this galaxy was seeded with Phazon from ourself, correct?" Before either could reply, he forged ahead. "Well, it seems that these Pirates found the Phazon and attempted to cultivate it for their own use. Well, the Phazon readings that they left over on their archives have yielded an amazing result!"

He paused for a long moment, apparently trying to dramatize his discovery. Their annoyed glares hurried him on. "Yes, well, anyway. About four months ago on the Chozo world of Tallon IV, the seed that we sent to that world was destroyed and broken down to its most basic level. However, it seems that it willfully attempted to pull its destroyer along with it, only to fail. What it did do," His blue-white eyes bored into theirs, desperately trying to get across to them the magnitude of this action. "Was achieve full-sentience."

"_What?!_" Both Nota and the Warlord roared out, several of those nearby winching from the volume. "How is that possible?" Warlord raged, his mind already furiously trying to work out how it happened.

"We all know that Phazon is highly mutagenic to those not born from its glory, but this was different. It almost seemed as though it tore off a piece of the killer's mind and body in the final attack."

Tired of the run-around, the Warlord stood up again, the chair splashing down into nothing. "All of this means what, _exactly_?"

"We can use this creature, this incredible source for power."

"We can resurrect the Prime, the Worm, or as its more commonly called:

_The Dark Hunter_."


End file.
